Obama Faces Resistance in Congress, Abroad on Syria
August 30, 2013
President Barack Obama is facing increasing resistance to a potential military strike against Syria - both among U.S. allies abroad and at home from skeptical members of the U.S. Congress. And a new NBC poll indicates that 79 percent of Americans think the president should seek congressional approval before ordering any strikes against Damascus. Debate is simmering over U.S. involvement in another Middle East conflict.
Britain’s House of Commons destroyed any hopes Obama may have had for support from a close ally, voting to reject a military strike on Syria.
In Washington, the U.S. Congress is in recess until September 9, so a vote in the coming days is highly unlikely. Republican Congressman Scott Rigell is leading efforts for Congress to have a say with a bipartisan letter to the president signed by close to 140 lawmakers.
“He does need to call us into a joint session, make the case before the American people, allow us a reasonable amount of time to deliberate the matter and then to issue specific statutory authority prior to the use of force," said Rigell.
Top officials have briefed key members of Congress, and the president phoned House Speaker John Boehner. Rigell said consultations alone are not enough.
“Even the discussions he [President Obama] is having with senior leadership of the House and the Senate, that is also a good thing, but that, too, is not a substitute for engaging the institution itself, Congress, as a separate and equal branch of government,” said Rigell.
最新
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25