Strike on Syria wins praise from local politicians
Federal officials on both sides of the political aisle supported President Donald Trump’s targeted missile attack on the Syrian government and some said they wanted more of a strategic plan from the administration.
Trump ordered a missile strike against a Syrian airbase housing warplanes suspected of carrying out a chemical attack on civilians earlier this week.
U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-7 of Chadds Ford, decried the dozens of civilians killed in the chemical attack.
“Earlier this week, we saw the (Syrian President Bashar al-)Assad regime perpetrate a vicious chemical weapons attack that killed or wounded countless innocent civilians,” Meehan said. “(Thursday) night’s strikes were a decisive and proportional response that showed Assad his alliance with Russia does not give him blank check to commit war crimes. He cannot continue to conduct indiscriminate attacks against his own citizens with weapons of mass destruction.”
Meehan said Trump’s action offered America’s response to such attacks on civilians.
“We sent Assad’s regime and his Russian allies a message: No longer will their actions go without consequence,” Meehan said. “They will pay a price. (Thursday) night, they did. It’s a message I hope they heard loud and clear. There is simply no place for such atrocities.”
U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, D-, of Philadelphia, gave his approval but wished the president would’ve consulted the legislative branch.
“After seeing the photos of children killed in the chemical attack, it is hard to disagree with the president’s decision to retaliate and strike the air base in Syria,” he said. “The base, where U.S. officials say the Syrian military planes that dropped the chemicals took off from. But, the resident should have conferred with Congress. He should have reached out and asked for support from our allies. Going it alone does not work in today’s world. And, he must come to Congress for all and any approval in the future.”
U.S. Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., had similar sentiments.
“(Thursday) night, the United States took a decisive action sending a message to the world that barbaric, nerve gas attacks on innocent Syrians will not go unpunished,” he said. “The current conflict in Syria is a complex challenge requiring American leadership and significant steps, including development of a comprehensive plan that details for the American people our long-term strategic objectives, the possible risks for military personnel and national security implications.”
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., agreed a strong response to the civilian attack was needed, as he also called on the president to provide an approach to the Syrian regime going forward.
“The targeted actions taken (Thursday) night are an appropriate and proportionate response to a heinous act by the Assad regime on Syrian civilians,” Casey said. “As I have said before, Bashar al-Assad is a war criminal who has starved, barrel bombed and besieged the Syrian people for more than six years. The horrible attack this week was not the first time that he has used chemical weapons against Syrian civilians. His regime needs to be held accountable for their crimes.”
That said, Casey said a comprehensive approach needs to be crafted.
“I believe the president must outline for the American people a strategy for how this action will move us closer to a political transition in Syria while also advancing the coalition fight against ISIS,” he said. “I believe there is no purely military solution to the conflict in Syria and I continue to oppose the large-scale deployment of U.S. ground forces. In the coming days, I’ll be pressing the (Trump) administration for a full strategy that addresses the ISIS fight as well as the political situation in Syria.”
In addition, Casey said Russia and Iran should be held accountable for supporting Syria.
“My bipartisan legislation with (U.S.) Sen. (Marco) Rubio, R-Fla., the Preventing Destabilization of Iraq and Syria Act of 2017, is essential to achieving that goal,” he said. “The president should also accelerate humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people and seriously reconsider his discriminatory travel ban that would deny the Syrian women and children who are victims of this terrible violence the opportunity to resettle safely in the U.S. after appropriate vetting by our government.”