>> Reporter: PRESIDENT PUTIN HAS
PUMPED UP HIS IMAGE AT HOME BY PROJECTING RUSSIAN POWER AROUND
THE WORLD.
THE WORLD.
IN SYRIA, HE HAS PROPPED UP THE DICTATOR BASHAR AL- ASSAD.P THE
DICTATOR BASHAR AL- ASSAD. AND, WESTERN CRITICS SAY, HE
SHARES THE BLAME FOR THE
SLAUGHTER THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE
DURING THAT COUNTRYS
SEVEN-YEAR-OLD CIVIL WAR.
JOHN BRENNAN, FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE CIA.NNAN, FORMER DIRECTOR OF
THE CIA.
>> WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN SYRIA IS A TRAGEDY.S HAPPENED IN SYRIA IS
A TRAGEDY. AND RUSSIA BEARS GREAT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR MANY DEATHS OF INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN, ANDTHS
OF INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN IN SYRIA, IN TERMS OF
THE BRUTAL BOMBINGS THAT HAVE
TAKEN PLACE THERE, THE SUPPORT
FOR BASHAR ASSAD.
BASICALLY, ITS BEEN GENOCIDE
AGAINST A LOT OF THE SYRIAN
PEOPLE.
>> Reporter: ASSAD WILL APPARENTLY STOP AT NOTHING
INCLUDING THE USE OF OUTLAWED
CHEMICAL WEAPONS ON CIVILIANS TO
WIN THE WAR.
UNDER A UN AGREEMENT, SYRIA WAS
SUPPOSED TO TURN OVER ALL OF ITS
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND FACILITIES
TO BE DESTROYED.
BUT RECENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN
MORE CHEMICAL ATTACKS. AND, NO MATTER WHAT THE REST OF
THE WORLD MAY THINK.
VLADIMIR PUTIN IS CLEARLY WILLING TO DENY AND OBFUSCATE,
IF IT PROTECTS HIS ALLY, ASSAD.
>> DO YOU BELIEVE THE CHEMICAL
WEAPONS ATTACKS IN SYRIA ARE
FAKE NEWS?
FAKE NEWS? >> Reporter: OF COURSE.
FIRST OF ALL, THE SYRIAN
GOVERNMENT LONG AGO DESTROYED
THEIR CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
SECONDLY, WE ARE AWARE OF THE
PLANS OF THE INSURGENTS TO MAKE
THINGS LOOK LIKE THE SYRIAN ARMY
IS USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
THIRDLY, ALL OF THESE ARE
ATTEMPTS THAT HAVE REPEATEDLY --
REPEATEDLY TAKEN PLACE IN THE
NOT-SO-DISTANT PAST.
NOT-SO-DISTANT PAST.
THESE ACCUSATIONS THAT WERE USED AS A JUSTIFICATION TOT WERE USED
AS A JUSTIFICATION TO
CONSOLIDATE EFFORTS IN FIGHTING ASSAD.IDATE EFFORTS IN FIGHTING
ASSAD. WE ARE ALL WELL AWARE OF IT.
WE UNDERSTAND IT.
WERE NOT EVEN INTERESTED IN IT.
I JUST FEEL LIKE SAYING, SIMPLY
BORING.
>> THE BODIES OF DEAD CHILDREN
THANKS TO SARIN GAS ATTACKS,
THATS BORING?
>> ARE YOU POSITIVE THAT THESE
BODIES ARE THE RESULT OF WHAT
THE GOVERNMENT FORCES DID?
I BELIEVE THE OPPOSITE.
ITS THE RESULT OF THE ACTIONS OF CRIMINALS.T OF THE ACTIONS
OF CRIMINALS. >> Reporter: ARE YOU POSITIVE
THAT THEYRE NOT?
>> RADICAL ELEMENTS.
TERRORISTS WHO COMMIT THESE
CRIMES IN ORDER TO ACCUSE
PRESIDENT ASSAD OF DOING THAT.
>> THATS NOT WHAT THE UNITED NATIONS HAS CONCLUDED.UNITED
NATIONS HAS CONCLUDED.
THEY AUTOPSIED THE BODIES OF THE
DEAD CHILDREN. YOUR FOREIGN MINISTER SUGGESTED
IT WAS ALL MADE UP.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT?
>> Reporter: OF COURSE.
I AM ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED AS A
MATTER OF FACT.
AFTER ALL THERE WAS NO SERIOUS
INVESTIGATION THERE.
INVESTIGATION THERE.
>> THERE WERE NO DEAD BODIES? >> THERE MAY HAVE BEEN DEADS?
>> THERE MAY HAVE BEEN DEAD
BODIES, WHICH DOES HAPPEN AT
WAR.
TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MOSUL WAS TAKEN. LOOK AT HOW MOSUL WAS
TAKEN. EVERYTHING WAS RAZED TO THE
GROUND.
GROUND. OR TAKE A LOOK AT HOW RAQQA WAS
TAKEN.
TAKEN. TO THIS DAY THERE ARE DEAD
BODIES UNDER THE RUINS AND THEY
HAVENT BEEN BURIED.
DONT YOU WANT TO REMEMBER THAT?
>> THATS WHAT WE CALL
WHATABOUTISM. THATS YOU POINTING TO SOMEBODY
ELSES BAD BEHAVIOR TO JUSTIFY
YOUR OWN OR THAT OF YOUR ALLY.
WERE TALKING ABOUT ASSAD AND
DEAD CHILDREN THANKS TO SARIN
GAS.
GAS.
SARIN GAS. AND YOURE TELLING AN
INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE IT NEVER
HAPPENED?
HAPPENED? >> LISTEN, IN ORDER TO BE SURE
OF THIS A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION
ON LOCATION WITH EVIDENCE
GATHERING NEEDS TO BE DONE.
NONE OF THIS WAS DONE.
LETS DO IT.
>> Reporter: BUT RUSSIA HAS
VETOED MULTIPLE U.N. RESOLUTIONS
TO INVESTIGATE CHEMICAL WEAPON
ATTACKS IN SYRIA.
>> SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST
FOUR CHLORINE-BASED CHEMICAL
WEAPONS ATTACKS IN SYRIA.
OUR SECRETARY OF STATE,
TILLERSON, JUST SAID THAT RUSSIA
BEARS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THIS GIVEN YOUR EARLIER PROMISES
TO REIN IN CHEMICAL WEAPONS
ATTACKS IN SYRIA.
YOUR RESPONSE?
>> MY RESPONSE IS THAT A) WE
HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT AND WE DEMAND A FULL-FLEDGEDIT AND
WE DEMAND A FULL-FLEDGED INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. AND AS FAR AS CRIMINAL ACTS ARE
CONCERNED, PLEASE GO BACK TO
RAQQA AND AT LEAST BURY THE
BODIES THAT ARE STILL UNDER THE RUINS AND THE DEBRIS AS A RESULT
OF INDISCRIMINATE SHELLING OF
THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND INVESTIGATE THAT.
THEN YOULL HAVE SOMETHING TO
KEEP YOU BUSY.
>> Reporter: DEFLECT AND DENY.
DENY AND DEFLECT.
IT SEEMS TO BE THE RUSSIAN
PRESIDENTS WAY.
PRESIDENTS WAY.
FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT RICHARD HAAS.GN POLICY EXPERT RICHARD
HAAS. >> HE WOULD LIKE THE WORLD TO
THINK THAT HES THERE DOING GOOD
THINGS, FIGHTING TERRORISM.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT HE IS
DOING IS LOOKING THE OTHER WAY
WHEN, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE
SYRIAN GOVERNMENT USES CHEMICAL
WEAPONS TO KILL YOUNG CHILDREN.
BUT HE HAS TO DENY THAT IN ORDER
TO PUT SOME DISTANCE BETWEEN
THE-- THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT AND
THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT.
HE DOESNT WANT MORE SANCTIONS.
HE DOESNT WANT THAT KIND OF
INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM.
INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM. >> COMING UP, CAN THE US-RUSSIAN
RELATIONSHIP BE REPAIRED?
>> HOW DO WE WALK THIS BACK? HOW DO WE GET TO THE PLACE WHERE
THESE TWO GREAT NATIONS ARE LESS
ADVERSARIES AND SOMETHING CLOSER
TO ALLIES.