John Kerry actually said...

"We have stated again and again that our preference and the preference of our friends and allies is de-escalation and a diplomatic solution."

"We have helped negotiate a truce in South Sudan and helped to pull that country back from the brink of civil war."

"I take strong exception to Mr. Murphy's statement, we do not want to provoke."

"The Assad regime... unleashed an outrageous chemical attack against its own citizens."