Ash Carter: “I am firmly committed to maintaining Taiwan's self-defense capability, consistent with our one-China policy.”

The goal of United States policy in Syria is to end the Syrian war--civil war.

What he's trying to do is exactly what you're calling attention to, namely to end the humanitarian disaster occasioned by the civil war in Syria.

The United States will not ignore attempts to interfere with our democratic processes.

"Up-or-out" isn't broken--in fact, it's an essential and highly successful system--but it's also not perfect.