Biden says Assad's fall in Syria is a 'fundamental act of justice'

YOUR REPORT. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M WHIT JOHNSON IN NEW YORK.

WE'RE COMING ON THE AIR AT THIS HOUR BECAUSE PRESIDENT BIDEN IS ABOUT TO SPEAK FOLLOWING THE FALL OF THE GOVERNMENT OF BASHAR AL ASSAD IN SYRIA. LET'S LISTEN. >> HIS FATHER, BEFORE HIM, REBEL FORCES HAVE FORCED ASSAD TO RESIGN HIS OFFICE AND FLEE THE COUNTRY.

WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE HE IS, BUT THERE'S WORD THAT HE'S IN MOSCOW AT LONG LAST. THE ASSAD REGIME HAS FALLEN. THIS REGIME BRUTALIZED AND TORTURED AND KILLED LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT SYRIANS.

THE FALL OF THE REGIME IS A FUNDAMENTAL ACT OF JUSTICE. IT'S A MOMENT OF HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LONG SUFFERING PEOPLE OF SYRIA TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE FOR THEIR PROUD COUNTRY. IT'S ALSO A MOMENT OF RISK AND UNCERTAINTY AS WE ALL TURN TO THE QUESTION OF WHAT COMES NEXT.

THE UNITED STATES WILL WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AND THE STAKEHOLDERS IN SYRIA TO HELP THEM SEIZE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MANAGE THE RISKS. YOU KNOW, FOR YEARS, THE MAIN BACKERS OF ASSAD HAVE BEEN IRAN, HEZBOLLAH AND RUSSIA. BUT OVER THE LAST WEEK, THEIR SUPPORT COLLAPSED, ALL THREE OF THEM, BECAUSE ALL THREE OF THEM ARE FAR WEAKER TODAY THAN THEY WERE WHEN I TOOK OFFICE.

AND LET'S REMEMBER WHY, AFTER HAMAS ATTACKED ISRAEL ON OCTOBER THE 7TH, 2023, WHEN MUCH OF THE WORLD RESPONDED WITH HORROR, IRAN AND ITS PROXIES CHOSE TO LAUNCH A MULTI-FRONT WAR AGAINST ISRAEL. THAT WAS A HISTORIC MISTAKE ON IRAN'S PART. TODAY, IRAN'S MAIN TERRITORIAL PROXY, HEZBOLLAH, IS ALSO ON ITS BACK.

ONLY 12 DAYS AGO, I SPOKE FROM THE ROSE GARDEN ABOUT THE CEASE FIRE DEAL IN LEBANON, A DEAL THAT WAS ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE HEZBOLLAH HAS BEEN BADLY DEGRADED. MEANWHILE, HAMAS HAS BEEN BADLY DEGRADED AS WELL. IRAN'S OWN MILITARY CAPABILITIES HAVE BEEN WEAKENED.

IRAN TRIED TWO TIMES TO ATTACK ISRAEL IN THE UNITED STATES, AND BUILT A COALITION OF COUNTRIES TO DIRECTLY DEFEND ISRAEL AND HELP DEFEAT THOSE ATTACKS. ALL OF THIS MADE POSSIBLE FOR IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH TO CONTINUE TO PROP UP IMPOSSIBLE, I SHOULD SAY, FOR THEM TO PROP UP THE ASSAD REGIME. ADDITIONALLY, RUSSIA'S SUPPORT FOR ASSAD ALSO FAILED, AND THAT'S BECAUSE UKRAINE, BACKED BY OUR AMERICAN ALLIES, HAS PUT UP A WALL OF RESISTANCE AGAINST THE INVADING RUSSIAN FORCES, INFLICTING MASSIVE DAMAGE ON THE RUSSIAN FORCES.

AND THAT HAS LEFT RUSSIA UNABLE TO PROTECT ITS MAIN ALLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. EXCUSE MY COLD. THE UPSHOT FOR ALL OF THIS IS, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, NEITHER RUSSIA NOR IRAN NOR HEZBOLLAH COULD DEFEND THIS ABHORRENT REGIME IN SYRIA.

AND THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE BLOWS THAT UKRAINE, ISRAEL HAVE DELIVERED UPON THEIR OWN SELF-DEFENSE WITH UNFLAGGING SUPPORT OF THE UNITED STATES. YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, MY ADMINISTRATION HAS PURSUED A CLEAR AND PRINCIPLED POLICY TOWARDS SYRIA. FIRST, WE MADE CLEAR FROM THE START SANCTIONS ON ASSAD WOULD REMAIN IN PLACE UNLESS HE ENGAGED SERIOUSLY IN A POLITICAL PROCESS TO END THE CIVIL WAR AS OUTLINED BY THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION PASSED IN 2015.

BUT ASSAD REFUSED. SO WE CARRIED OUT A COMPREHENSIVE SANCTION PROGRAM AGAINST HIM AND ALL THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR ATROCITIES AGAINST THE SYRIAN PEOPLE. SECOND, WE MAINTAINED OUR MILITARY PRESENCE IN SYRIA.

OUR COUNTER-ISIS TO COUNTER THE SUPPORT OF LOCAL PARTNERS AS WELL ON THE GROUND, THEIR PARTNERS NEVER CEDING AN INCH OF TERRITORY, TAKING OUT LEADERS OF ISIS, ENSURING THAT ISIS CAN NEVER ESTABLISH A SAFE HAVEN THERE AGAIN. THIRD, WE SUPPORTED ISRAEL'S FREEDOM OF ACTION AGAINST IRANIAN NETWORKS IN SYRIA AND AGAINST ACTORS ALIGNED WITH IRAN, WHO TRANSPORTED LETHAL AID TO LEBANON. AND WHEN NECESSARY, ORDERED THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST IRANIAN NETWORKS TO PROTECT U.

S. FORCES. OUR APPROACH HAS SHIFTED THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

THROUGH THIS COMBINATION OF SUPPORT FOR OUR PARTNERS, SANCTIONS AND DIPLOMACY AND TARGETED MILITARY FORCE, WHEN NECESSARY, WE NOW SEE NEW OPPORTUNITIES OPENING UP FOR THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA AND FOR THE ENTIRE REGION. LOOKING AHEAD, THE UNITED STATES WILL DO THE FOLLOWING. FIRST, WE'LL SUPPORT SYRIA'S NEIGHBORS, INCLUDING JORDAN, LEBANON, IRAQ AND ISRAEL SHOULD ANY THREAT ARISE FROM SYRIA DURING THIS PERIOD OF TRANSITION.

I WILL SPEAK WITH LEADERS OF THE REGION IN THE COMING DAYS. I HAD A LONG DISCUSSION WITH ALL OF OUR PEOPLE EARLIER THIS MORNING, AND I'LL SEND SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM MY ADMINISTRATION TO THE REGION AS WELL. SECOND, WE WILL HELP STABILITY, ENSURE STABILITY IN EASTERN SYRIA, PROTECTING ANY PERSONNEL OUR PERSONNEL, AGAINST ANY THREATS, AND WILL REMAIN.

OUR MISSION AGAINST ISIS WILL BE MAINTAINED, INCLUDING THE SECURITY OF DETENTION FACILITIES WHERE ISIS FIGHTERS ARE BEING HELD AS PRISONERS. WE'RE CLEAR EYED ABOUT THE FACT THAT ISIS WILL TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY VACUUM, TO REESTABLISH ITS CAPABILITIES, AND TO CREATE A SAFE HAVEN. WE WILL NOT LET THAT HAPPEN.

IN FACT, JUST TODAY, U. S. FORCES CONDUCTED A DOZEN OF PRECISION STRIKES, AIRSTRIKES WITHIN SYRIA TARGETING ISIS CAMPS AND ISIS OPERATIVES.

THIRD, WE WILL ENGAGE WITH ALL SYRIAN GROUPS, INCLUDING WITHIN THE PROCESS, LED BY THE UNITED NATIONS, TO ESTABLISH A TRANSITION AWAY FROM THE ASSAD REGIME TOWARD INDEPENDENT SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT. I WANT TO SAY IT AGAIN, SOVEREIGN SYRIA, WITH A NEW CONSTITUTION, A NEW GOVERNMENT THAT SERVES ALL SYRIANS. AND THIS PROCESS WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE SYRIAN PEOPLE THEMSELVES.

AND THE UNITED STATES WILL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO SUPPORT THEM, INCLUDING THROUGH HUMANITARIAN RELIEF TO HELP RESTORE SYRIA. AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF WAR AND GENERATIONS OF BRUTALITY BY THE ASSAD FAMILY. AND FINALLY, WE WILL REMAIN VIGILANT.

MAKE NO MISTAKE, SOME OF THE REBEL GROUPS THAT TOOK DOWN ASSAD HAVE THEIR OWN GRIM RECORD OF TERRORISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES. WE'VE TAKEN NOTE OF STATEMENTS BY THE LEADERS OF THESE REBEL GROUPS IN RECENT DAYS, AND THEY'RE SAYING THE RIGHT THINGS NOW. BUT AS THEY TAKE ON GREATER RESPONSIBILITY, WE WILL ASSESS NOT JUST THEIR WORDS, BUT THEIR ACTIONS.

AND WE ARE MINDFUL. WE ARE MINDFUL THAT THERE ARE AMERICANS IN SYRIA, INCLUDING THOSE WHO RESIDE THER, AS WELL AS AUSTIN TICE, WHO IS TAKEN CAPTIVE MORE THAN 12 YEARS AGO. WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO RETURNING HIM TO HIS FAMILY.

AS I'VE SAID, THIS IS A MOMENT OF CONSIDERABLE RISK AND UNCERTAINTY, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THIS IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY IN GENERATIONS FOR SYRIANS TO FORGE THEIR OWN FUTURE FREE OF OPPOSITION. IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH FAR FROM CERTAIN, THOSE FAR FROM CERTAIN, FOR A MORE SECURE AND PROSPEROUS MIDDLE EAST WHERE OUR FRIENDS ARE SAFE, OUR ENEMIES ARE CONTAINED, AND IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF THIS HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY IF ONE TYRANT WERE TOPPLED AND ONLY ONLY TO SEE A NEW ONE RISE UP IN ITS PLACE. SO IT'S NOW INCUMBENT UPON ALL THE OPPOSITION GROUPS TO SEEK A ROLE IN GOVERNING SYRIA, TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE RIGHTS OF ALL SYRIANS, THE RULE OF LAW AND THE PROTECTION OF RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC MINORITIES.

THESE PAST FEW DAYS HAVE BEEN HISTORIC. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN THE DAYS AHEAD THAT WILL DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY. AND WE INTEND TO APPROACH THEM WITH STRENGTH, WISDOM AND RESOLVE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOD BLESS AMERICA AND GOD PROTECT OUR TROOPS. THANK YOU.

>> WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO ASSAD NOW? MR. PRESIDENT, MR.

PRESIDENT, THE U. S. PRESIDENT BIDEN, THEY'RE LEAVING THE ROOSEVELT ROOM AFTER MAKING REMARKS ON SYRIA, SEEMING TO PAUSE FOR A MOMENT.

>> LET'S SEE IF HE ANSWERS SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS LIVE. >> WE THINK WE CAN GET HIM BACK, BUT WE HAVE NO DIRECT EVIDENCE TO THAT YET. AND ASSAD SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

>> HAVE YOU DIRECTED AN OPERATION TO GO GET HIM, MR. PRESIDENT? IS ASSAD WHO AUSTIN TICE WE WANT TO GET HIM OUT.

>> YES, SIR. WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY WHERE HE IS. THANK YOU.

>> PRESIDENT BIDEN THERE RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS ABOUT A JOURNALIST WHO HAS BEEN CAPTURED AND IN SYRIA FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT HIGHLIGHTING A FEW THINGS, PROJECTING A BIT OF A CAUTIOUS, OPTIMISTIC TONE IN ALL OF THIS. BUT HE DID POINT OUT THAT IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF AN OPPORTUNITY IF ONE TYRANT WERE TOPPLED, ONLY TO SEE ANOTHER IN ITS PLACE. HE TALKED ABOUT THIS REGIME THAT BRUTALIZED, TORTURED AND KILLED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SYRIANS.

HE SAID THE UNITED STATES WILL NOW WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN SYRIA AND AROUND THE REGION. HE ALSO TOUTED THE CEASE FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH. ONLY BECAUSE HEZBOLLAH HAD BEEN WEAKENED IN ALL OF THIS AND TALKED ABOUT HOW IRAN, RUSSIA AND HEZBOLLAH, WHO WERE PRIMARY BACKERS OF SYRIA BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN WEAKENED IN RECENT MONTHS.

THAT IS WHAT LED TO ALL OF THIS. AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE ASSAD REGIME TOPPLING. LET'S BRING IN OUR CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, MARY BRUCE, WHO IS JOINING US ON THE PHONE RIGHT NOW.

AND, MARY, I THINK IN ALL OF THIS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE STILL 900 APPROXIMATELY U. S. TROOPS IN SYRIA IN THE ONGOING FIGHT AGAINST ISIS.

AND THE PRESIDENT ALSO POINTED OUT THAT EVEN TODA, THERE ARE AIRSTRIKES TAKING PLACE IN THAT COUNTRY. JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS COULD MEAN AND WHAT THE U. S.

STILL HAS AT STAKE IN THE COUNTRY AND IN THE REGIO. >> WELL, WHAT STANDS OUT HERE MOST IS I THINK THE PRESIDENT TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSCORE THAT THERE IS REAL RISK AND UNCERTAINTY HERE, BUT ALSO A MOMENT OF REAL OPPORTUNITY. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A STUNNING FALL FOR THIS DICTATOR WHO HAS CLUNG TO POWER FOR SO LONG.

THE PRESIDENT NOTING THAT ASSAD BRUTALIZED, TORTURED AND KILLED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, BUT THAT WITH ALL OF THAT RISK AND OPPORTUNITY, RISK AND UNCERTAINTY DOES COME A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY. AND THE PRESIDENT, INTERESTINGLY, ALSO SEEMED TO TAKE SOME CREDIT, ESSENTIALLY FOR WEAKENING HEZBOLLAH. RUSSIA AND IRAN, SAYING THAT IT BASICALLY BECAME IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO PROP UP ASSAD AND TO DEFEND THIS ABHORRENT REGIME.

AND YES, HE DID MAKE CLEAR WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO GOING FORWARD, SUPPORTING SYRIA'S NEIGHBORS LIKE JORDAN, LEBANON, IRAQ AND ISRAEL. HE SAYS HE'S GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO THE LEADERS OF THOSE COUNTRIES IN THE COMING DAYS. AND YES, THAT THE U.

S. IS, OF COURSE, GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND MAINTAIN OUR PRESENCE IN THE REGION. THE PRESIDENT SAYING HE'S CLEAR EYED THAT ISIS WILL TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY VACUUM, AND SAYING POINT BLANK THAT THE U.

S. IS SIMPLY NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN. AND YES, HE SAYS THEY'RE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH SYRIAN GROUPS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS UP TO THE SYRIAN PEOPLE.

BUT THE PRESIDENT MAKING IT VERY CLEAR HIS ADMINISTRATION IS KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THIS AND WILL BE VERY INVOLVED IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS AHEAD. >> ALL RIGHT, MARY BRUCE, THANK YOU. LET'S BRING IN ABC NEWS MILITARY ANALYST, RETIRED MARINE COLONEL STEVE GANYARD.

ALSO JOINING US ON THE PHONE, STEVE, AND ALL OF THIS, I'M REMINDED OF THE OLD ADAGE, THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND. THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE SITUATION HERE IN SYRIA WHERE YOU HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS, SO MANY DIFFERENT FACTIONS INVOLVED. AND THIS PRIMARY REBEL GROUP, HESS, WAS ONCE AFFILIATED WITH AL QAIDA.

SO. SO HOW DOES THE U. S.

APPROACH THE SITUATION NOW AND GOING FORWARD? >> YEAH, INDEED. WHAT THE U.

S, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, HAS BEEN LEFT OUT OF THIS IN MANY WAYS, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THERE IS MUCH TO BE GAINED HERE. THIS IS REALLY A REGIONAL FIGHT, AND IT TURNED INTO A REGIONAL FIGHT WHEN TWO GLOBAL POWERS, THAT IS RUSSIA AND IRAN WERE KICKED OUT OF SYRIA AND THEY WERE KICKED OUT OF SYRIA BECAUSE RUSSIA IS LOSING SO BADLY OR HAS LOST SO MUCH CAPABILITY IN UKRAINE, AND THEY'RE UNABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROP UP ASSAD. AND THE IRANIANS HAVE BEEN ESSENTIALLY DESTROYED.

THEIR PROXIES OF HEZBOLLAH AND HAMAS HAVE BEEN ESSENTIALLY DESTROYED OR BEATEN DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO SUPPORT ASSAD AS WELL. AND SO WHO ARE THESE REBELS SUPPORTED BY? BY MR.

ERDOGAN IN TURKEY? SO IN MANY WAYS, THE REAL WINNER HERE IS TURKEY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUPPORTED THESE GROUPS. AND THE REAL LOSERS ARE RUSSIA AND IRAN.

THE U. S. AND THE EUROPEANS ARE PRETTY MUCH GOING TO BE ON THE SIDELINES WAITING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT THERE'S REALLY NO REASON, I DON'T THINK, TO EXPECT THAT THESE ARE JEFFERSONIANS COMING IN AND BE ANYTHING MORE THAN MORE BLOODSHED AND LOTS OF CHAOS IN WHAT'S LEFT OF SYRIA. >> AND YOU MENTIONED NEIGHBORING TURKEY THERE. WE KNOW SO MANY REFUGEES, MILLIONS OF REFUGEES FLED ALL OVER THE REGION, MANY OF THEM IN TURKEY RIGHT NOW.

LET'S BRING IN ABC NEWS CHIEF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT IAN PANNELL. AND IAN, I WAS FOLLOWING SOME OF YOUR INTERNAL NOTES THAT YOU'VE BEEN SENDING FROM EARLIER TODAY. I KNOW YOU'VE SPENT MANY YEARS INSIDE SYRIA COVERING THE CIVIL WAR, THE BRUTALITY AND A TWO PART QUESTION HERE.

HOW DID THIS GOVERNMENT FALL SO QUICKLY? AND WHAT IS THE MOOD RIGHT NOW AMONG THE PEOPLE, THE CONTACTS YOU'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH IN SYRIA? >> YEAH, I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A BITTERSWEET DAY FOR MANY SYRIANS.

LET'S JUST STEP BACK AND LOOK AT QUITE WHAT HAS HAPPENED DURING THIS PERIOD OF CIVIL WAR, WHICH HAS GONE ON FOR OVER TEN YEARS. WE HAVE MORE THAN HALF OF THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN DISPLACED. YOU HAVE 6.

5 MILLION SYRIAN REFUGEES LIVING MAINLY IN EUROPE, BUT ALSO IN THE UNITED STATES AS WELL. AND YOU HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED. THERE ISN'T AN ACCURATE FIGURE.

THE LAST TIME ANYONE TRIED TO PUT A NUMBER ON IT WAS AROUND 350,000. THAT WAS PUT ON BY THE UN, BUT THAT WAS THREE YEARS AGO. AND EVEN THEY ADMITTED THAT THAT THAT WAS PROBABLY A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE.

SO IT'S BEEN A CATASTROPHIC WAR FOR SYRIANS. AND I THINK MANY OF THEM WILL LOOK WITH SOME SENSE OF IRONY ON PRESIDENT BIDEN'S REMARKS. IT WAS CERTAINLY REACHING TOWARDS TRYING TO CLAIM CREDIT FOR WHAT'S TAKING PLACE IN SYRIA.

BUT I THINK WHAT MOST SYRIANS WILL REMEMBER IS THE LACK OF SUPPORT FOR THEIR UPRISING. THIS DID BEGIN AS A CIVILIAN LED MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRACY AND FOR DIGNITY. ABOVE ALL, IT BECAME RADICALIZED THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD OF THE WAR AND THE GROUPS THAT WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED ALSO BECAME MORE RADICALIZED.

I MEAN, IT'S THIS COALITION OF SUNNI ISLAMIST REBEL GROUPS THAT HAS BASICALLY TAKEN CONTROL, TOGETHER WITH THE TURKISH BACKED SYRIAN NATIONAL ARMY, PROSCRIBED AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. ITS LEADER, JILANI, USED TO FIGHT WITH AL QAEDA AGAINST THE UNITED STATES IN IRAQ. HE FOUNDED THE GROUP JABHAT AL-NUSRA, WHICH WAS ALSO AN AL QAEDA AFFILIATE.

AND YES, HE IS THE MAN WHO'S NOW STANDING IN CHARGE IN THE COUNTRY. SO I THINK STEVE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT WHAT THIS IS GOING TO MEAN. IT'S NOT A JEFFERSONIAN MOMENT, BUT IT WAS A CIVILIAN MOVEMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

IF IT CAN BECOME THAT AGAIN, THEN THEN NOT ONLY WILL THAT BE GREAT FOR SYRIA AND THE REGION, BUT IT WILL CERTAINLY APPEASE THOSE COUNTRIES WHO ARE GOING TO BE DEEPLY ANXIOUS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, NOT JUST AMERICA AND ITS ALLIES, ESPECIALLY ISRAEL, BUT ALSO OTHER ARAB GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE REGION WHO ALSO HAVE ADOPTED MANY SIMILAR TACTICS TO ASSAD OF POLITICAL REPRESSION, OF TORTURE, OF DETENTION. MANY OF THEM WILL BE LOOKING TO THEIR OWN POPULATIONS NOW, WONDERING WHETHER THEY SEEK INSPIRATION FROM THIS MOMENT. BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS IS TRULY AN HISTORIC TIME IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN SUCH AN IMPORTANT MOMENT IN MANY YEARS, CERTAINLY IS. >> AND WE DO EXPECT A RIPPLE EFFECT OF IMPACTS THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND AROUND THE WORLD. WITH EVERYBODY WATCHING RIGHT NOW, WE OF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE IMAGES OF PRESIDENT, FORMER PRESIDENT BASHAR AL ASSAD OF SYRIA RIGHT NOW ON TV.

WE'RE GETTING REPORTING FROM RUSSIAN STATE MEDIA THAT HE'S NOW BEING HELD IN MOSCOW. PRESIDENT BIDEN ALLUDED TO THAT AS HE WAS SPEAKING THERE. HE IS SHAKING HANDS WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN.

WE HAVE NOT INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED THAT YET AT THIS TIME ON EXACTLY HIS WHEREABOUTS. BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND BRING IN OUR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, MARYALICE PARKS, WHO'S ALSO JOINING US RIGHT NOW. AND MARYALICE, WE SAW THE PRESIDENT TAKING SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT AUSTIN TICE THERE.

THAT'S THE JOURNALIST WHO WAS KIDNAPED IN SYRIA, I BELIEVE, MORE THAN A DECADE AGO. NOW. QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR HIS POTENTIAL RETURN TO THE U.

S. AND FREEDOM. WHAT MORE ARE YOU LEARNING ABOUT THAT, AND WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID TODAY?

>> HE SEEMED TO CONFIRM WITH REPORTS FROM AUSTIN TICE'S FAMILY THAT THEY HAVE INTELLIGENCE THAT HE IS STILL ALIVE. YOU HEARD PRESIDENT BIDEN SAY THERE THAT HE IS THINKING OF TICE, THAT THEY WANT TO GET HIM OUT AND GET HIM HOME. IT WOULD BE TRULY EXTRAORDINARY TO THINK THAT AUSTIN TICE COULD HAVE BEEN HELD CAPTIVE IN THAT COUNTRY FOR OVER A DECADE.

WE HAVE WE KNOW THAT IN JUST THE LAST FEW DAYS, TICE'S FAMILY WAS HERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE MEETING WITH WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT TICE HAS IS ALIVE, THAT THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY TO GET HIM HOME IN SUCH A CHAOTIC MOMENT WITH CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENT, SORT OF UP IN THE AIR AND SUCH A CHANGE OF HANDS OF CONTROL IN THE STATE OF SYRIA. LOOK, IT WAS INTERESTING TO ME, TOO, THAT HE TOOK A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO THE FORMER DICTATOR OF SYRIA, BASHAR AL-ASSAD. HE SAID HE THOUGHT HE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

BIG QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT WHETHER HE WILL CALL ON RUSSIA IF HE IS IN FACT IN RUSSIA, WHETHER HE WILL CALL ON RUSSIA TO TURN OVER ASSAD, WHETHER HE THINKS AL ASSAD SHOULD FACE A WAR TRIBUNAL, SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IF HE WILL HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AT ALL WITH RUSSIA. BUT AT THE VERY TOP OF HIS REMARKS, HE DID NOT CONFIRM U. S.

INTELLIGENCE THAT HE IS IN FACT, IN RUSSIA. HE SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT SURE, BUT THAT HE WAS AWARE THAT THE KREMLIN WAS SAYING SO. >> ALL RIGHT, MARYALICE PARKS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PRESIDENT BIDEN SPEAKING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP HAS BEEN WATCHING ALL OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS VERY CLOSELY. AND HE POSTED EARLIER ABOUT SYRIA BEING A MESS.

HE POINTED OUT. HE SAID SYRIA IS NOT OUR FRIEND. THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED.

THAT WAS A QUOTE FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS THIS COULD BE AN OPENING FOR A CEASE FIRE CONVERSATION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE. SO THE IMPLICATIONS THERE BEING THAT CLEARLY WHATEVER'S HAPPENING IN SYRIA IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE FOR THAT COUNTRY, BUT ONE FOR THE ENTIRE REGION.

AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW HERE ON ABC NEWS. WE'LL HAVE MUCH MORE ON ABCNEWS. COM AND OUR STREAMING CHANNEL, ABC NEWS LIVE.

AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A FULL WRAP UP THIS EVENING ON WORLD NEWS TONIGHT. FOR NOW, I'M WHIT JOHNSON IN NEW YORK.