Just remember that a pat on the back is only 18 inches from a kick in the behind.

As far as I know, the line of communication between the U.S. and Russia continues to be open and the battlefield commanders are able to communicate with one another. I am aware that there have been certain public statements made out of Moscow.

People who speak up for freedom in regimes that are repressive are often at threat.

We've seen what violent regime change looks like in Libya and the kind of chaos that can be unleashed. And, indeed, the kind of misery that it enacts on its own people.

President Xi Jinping clearly understands, and I think agrees, that the situation in North Korea has intensified and has reached a certain level of threat that action has to be taken. And, indeed, the Chinese, even themselves, have said that they do not believe the conditions are right to engage in discussions with the government in Pyongyang. And so what I think we're hopeful is that we can work together with the Chinese to change the conditions in the minds of the DPRK leadership.

I think continued actions by Bashar al-Assad clearly call into any question of him expecting to have any legitimacy to continue as the leader of Syria. With each of those actions, like attack with conventional weapons, barrel bombs and block humanitarian aid he really undermines his own legitimacy.

I've made my own comments as to our vales as well in a speech I gave to the State Department.