The United States' failure to act resulted in the humanitarian crisis in Aleppo, American Islamic Forum for Democracy founder and president Zuhdi Jasser told Newsmax TV Wednesday.
During an appearance on "Newsmax Prime," Jasser told host J.D. Hayworth America's values have gone away — and so has its desire to do the right thing to help people in the war-torn Syrian city.
"It's the bitter taste of what happens when the world's powers fill in vacuums where America is absent, where the calculus is not only what America's interests are but our values are gone," said Jasser, the author of "A Battle for the Soul of Islam: An American Muslim Patriot's Fight to Save His Faith."
"That's been filled by not only ignoring red lines of use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, but handing the Iranians $150 billion to be used to arm [Syrian President Bashar al-] Assad and that entire region, to take over Iraq.
"Our values of what is a moral conflict no longer matter."
See J.D. Hayworth on Newsmax TV: Tune in beginning at 8 PM EDT to see "Newsmax Prime" – on FiOS 615, YouTube Livestream, Newsmax TV App from any smartphone, NewsmaxTV.com, Roku, Amazon Fire – More Systems Here
Jasser's words echoed what Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham said Wednesday, as the lawmakers blamed the U.S. under President Barack Obama's guidance for allowing the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of people.
A cease fire this week allowed civilians to evacuate the city, but fighting resumed less than 24 hours later. Jasser said America's delay in getting involved in the conflict has led to Russia flexing its muscles in the region.
"The Russians basically feel they can do anything, aside from the cyber warfare, the propaganda against us," he said.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.