Bay State pols say strategy on Syria needs OK by Congress
Bombing alone won’t solve the conflict in Syria — a comprehensive military strategy is necessary, and that’s something that should go before Congress for approval, members of the Bay State congressional delegation said in a series of reactions quickly posted via Twitter.
“Anyone who uses chemical weapons should be stopped. That includes (Syrian President Bashar) Assad and the Russians. But we’ve seen this before, we’ve tried this response before, and it clearly failed,” U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton tweeted. “We need a strategy, Mr. President, not a series of contradictory tweets.”
“We don’t put our troops in harm’s way without a strategy. Pres. Trump must present one to the nation and Congress must vote.,” U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III said in a statement on Twitter.
U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, took a sharper line and said Friday’s strikes against suspected chemicals weapons targets were “neither constitutional nor wise.”
“Attacks such as this on another country without Congressional authorization are unconstitutional, and they push the United States closer to what could be an interminable, all-out conflict in Syria,” Markey said in a statement.
U.S. Rep Michael E. Capuano said given the potential for further U.S. involvement, Congress should consider a formal authorization for use of military force, or AUMF.
“A few missiles won’t stop Assad and it risks broader conflict,” Capuano tweeted. “We deserve a coordinated international plan with clear goals and we demand Speaker Ryan brings an AUMF up for debate.”
“The Constitution gives Congress the power to authorize military action,” U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted. If President Trump “wants to expand American military involvement in Syria’s civil war, he must seek approval from Congress – & provide a comprehensive strategy with clear goals and a plan to achieve them.”
“Assad’s horrific chemical attacks on the Syrian people cannot go unchallenged,” U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark said, also via Twitter. “But our Constitution requires that Congress authorize military action. President Trump must provide a comprehensive strategy and Congress must vote before sending our troops into harm’s way.”