On the broader issue of Mideast policy, Kerry said the administration has been “deeply engaged” in the region and is the largest source of humanitarian assistance. He said violence is on the rise in Iraq because Syria’s Bashir Assad, who has been under siege for at least three years, “is a magnet for terrorists of all walks.”

Asked about former Vice President Dick Cheney’s assertion that President Barack Obama has been wrong all along about the Mideast, Kerry replied, “This is a man who took us directly into Iraq. Please.”