On "CBS This Morning" Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry was put on the defensive about the failures of the administration’s foreign policy. Insisting that America was not retreating into isolationism, Kerry argued instead that the U.S. was in “transition” in Afghanistan and that the administration “understands its role of leadership in the world.” Discussing the situation in Syria, Kerry admitted that terrorism was on the rise in the Middle East but would not concede that it was in part a result of Obama’s foreign policy failures.

Co-host Charlie Rose began the segment by asking if the recent decision to keep 9,800 troops in Afghanistan and the president’s foreign policy speech tonight were  in part attempts to convey to the world that America was not going to “sink into isolation”:

Rose: Sir, the announcement about the troops remaining in Afghanistan and the president’s speech tonight— an effort to convince the world that the United States is prepared not to sink into isolation but to be prepared to combat and to play a role in the world?

Kerry responded by saying that the president is not attempting to save face and announce a more proactive role in the world. Instead, he argues that “this is a statement of transition,” and that America is engaged, but “understands its role of leadership in the world”:

Kerry: No, Charlie, what it really is is a statement of transition that is appropriate to the timing, as expressed by the military and the generals and by the situation on the ground in Afghanistan.

But what we are doing—what the president is doing—is making clear that the United States understands its role of leadership in the world. We are deeply committed to offering that leadership and continuing to lead.  

Kerry stated that we are providing proactive assistance in Iran, Syria, South Asia, and several other regions, insisting that “the fact is, the United States is more engaged in more places than it has ever been in any time in history.”

He then explained that in his speech tonight the president will address how we will respond to this “rapidly changing, complex world where terrorism is the principal challenge,” and will announce a $5 billion terrorism fund intended to help train other countries to combat terrorism and join in anti-terrorism alliances.

Co-host Norah O’Donnell then pressed Kerry on Syria, asking after 150,000 people killed, “are we finally going to intervene in Syria?”

Kerry responded by repeating that the President is going to "ramp up" efforts with allies, but remains committed to keeping American troops off the ground.

In his response, however, Kerry admitted that there is “an increase in the number of terrorists in the Middle East” in large part due to Syria, which he says is “destabilizing the region”:

Kerry: The main thing is [Syria] is having fundamental spillover impact on Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq. It’s destabilizing the region, and there is an increase in the number of terrorists, even some who are plotting against Europe and America.”

Picking up on the admission, Rose asked Kerry directly if this was proof of the president’s failure to respond strongly enough two years ago:

Rose: Mr. Secretary, isn’t this a recognition that the president should have done more earlier, back two years ago. You travel the world, you hear a lot, especially in the Arab world that you know, saying that it was a mistake not to do more in Syria two years ago.

Frowning throughout the question, Kerry responded by chastising Rose and sidestepping the question. After reiterating that the president has been steadily “ramping up” support in Syria, Kerry reprimanded Rose:  

Kerry: You’re a good student of all of this—I know you spend a lot of time looking at it. You know full well that over the course of the last year, the opposition was fighting amongst itself...

Kerry explained that now that there was greater unity among the Syrian opposition, the administration felt it was time to assist them more.

Highlighting Kerry’s speech last week at Yale that seemed to signal a shift in the administration’s anti-interventionist tone, Rose asked, “Are you and the president on the same page?” and pointed to the drawn down of troops in Afghanistan as a “sort of isolationism.”

Kerry responded strongly, “No,” arguing that the scheduled withdrawal was what the American and Afghan people both desire and that it would free up troops for anti-terrorist initiatives. 

During his discussion of the troop withdrawal in Afghanistan, CBS showed a chart showing the number of troops from its peak of 100,000 to the planned draw down through 1,000 by the end of 2016:

• 100,000 Peak
• 32,800 Today
• 9,800 End of 2014
• 5,000 End of 2015
• 1,000 Embassy  & Security Forces, 2016