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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| What is Aleppo? Gary Johnson foxed by Syria question | What is Aleppo? Gary Johnson foxed by Syria question |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| One of the third-party candidates in the US presidential election has been ridiculed after being wrong-footed by a question on a key Syrian battleground. | One of the third-party candidates in the US presidential election has been ridiculed after being wrong-footed by a question on a key Syrian battleground. |
| Asked what he would do about the city of Aleppo, if elected, Libertarian Gary Johnson answered: "What is Aleppo?" | Asked what he would do about the city of Aleppo, if elected, Libertarian Gary Johnson answered: "What is Aleppo?" |
| Mr Johnson later admitted he had "blanked" but said he would "get smarter" following the gaffe. | Mr Johnson later admitted he had "blanked" but said he would "get smarter" following the gaffe. |
| Aleppo has been one of the major flashpoints of Syria's five-year civil war. | Aleppo has been one of the major flashpoints of Syria's five-year civil war. |
| Known as "Halab" in Arabic, it is one of world's oldest continually inhabited cities, being mentioned in Egyptian texts from the 20th Century BC. | |
| Fighting in Syria has escalated in recent weeks, with an estimated 250,000 people living in besieged rebel-held areas. | |
| Although he trails far behind Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton in polls, both main party candidates are said to be unpopular among many US voters and analysts believe Mr Johnson could play a part in deciding the result. | Although he trails far behind Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton in polls, both main party candidates are said to be unpopular among many US voters and analysts believe Mr Johnson could play a part in deciding the result. |
| Read more about Aleppo: | |
| Aleppo - Syria's second city | |
| Trapped in Aleppo: 'We have no food, we cook leaves off trees' | |
| Injured boy image highlights Aleppo conflict | |
| Why the battle for Aleppo matters | |
| Why is there fighting in Syria? | |
| The Islamic State crisis explained in seven charts | |
| But he seemed unaware of the crisis in Aleppo when asked for his solution by MSNBC panellist Mike Barnicle, saying: "And what is Aleppo?'' | |
| "You're kidding me?" replied Mr Barnicle, before going on to describe the situation there. | "You're kidding me?" replied Mr Barnicle, before going on to describe the situation there. |
| "OK, got it, got it," said Mr Johnson, before adding: "With regard to Syria, I do think it's a mess. I think that the only way that we deal with Syria is to join hands with Russia to diplomatically bring that at an end." | "OK, got it, got it," said Mr Johnson, before adding: "With regard to Syria, I do think it's a mess. I think that the only way that we deal with Syria is to join hands with Russia to diplomatically bring that at an end." |
| Russia and the US have largely backed opposing sides in the Syrian conflict, with Russian aircraft providing air support to President Bashar al-Assad's forces. | Russia and the US have largely backed opposing sides in the Syrian conflict, with Russian aircraft providing air support to President Bashar al-Assad's forces. |
| Mr Johnson later issued a statement saying: "Can I name every city in Syria? No. Should I have identified Aleppo? Yes. Do I understand its significance? Yes," he said. | Mr Johnson later issued a statement saying: "Can I name every city in Syria? No. Should I have identified Aleppo? Yes. Do I understand its significance? Yes," he said. |
| Social media has been withering in its response, with #WhatisAleppo trending | Social media has been withering in its response, with #WhatisAleppo trending |
| Others said the comments raised serious points | Others said the comments raised serious points |
| And Mr Johnson did have sympathisers | And Mr Johnson did have sympathisers |