President Barack Obama held a press conference Saturday afternoon asking Congress for authorization before he begins a military strike on a Syrian regime he believes used chemical weapons. President Obama says the attack is necessary but has decided to wait for a congressional vote when lawmakers come back to Washington on September 9th. What the President didn’t mention in his speech though is how he would move forward if the strike is rejected.
“I’m prepared to give that order,” Mr. Obama said. “But having made my decision as commander in chief based on what I am convinced is our national security interest, I’m also mindful that I’m president of the world’s oldest constitutional democracy.”
White House officials are saying this won’t push America into yet another dragged out Middle Eastern conflict as the plan is to have this strike be a brief one. In preparation for this “brief” conflict, five U.S. Navy destroyers have been deployed in the eastern Mediterranean and are poised and ready to fire upon Syria. The destroyers are stocked with tomahawk cruise missiles and this announcement puts off any attack until early September.
Lawmakers are happy the President is awaiting approval from Congress.
“At this point in our country’s history, this is absolutely the right decision,” Senator Bob Corker was quoted as saying in the New York Times. “I look forward to seeing what the administration brings forward and to a vigorous debate on this important authorization.”
When the debate of war arises -even one that’s intended to be a limited strike such as a possible attack on Syria- the debate of whether we should intervene in a foreign land’s affairs arises. According to a Reuters poll, only 29% of Americans are for a military strike and 60% oppose any action. America’s closest ally, Britain, is against an escalating conflict with Syria. The British Parliament disapproved of a U.S. strike despite Prime Minister David Cameron’s outspoken support for President Obama.
[Source: New York Times, Reuters]