PressTV: US not contemplating congressional approval for Syria strikes: Lawmaker
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.)Sat Aug 31, 2013 5:5PM
Amid fierce opposition to possible military strikes in Syria, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said on Friday that it is unlikely President Barack Obama will seek congressional approval for an attack.
In an interview with Fox News, Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) said it is unlikely the White House is “even contemplating” seeking authorization from Congress for a military strike on Syria.
“I don’t get the feeling that they’re even contemplating that. When I first had my call earlier in the week, I almost was thinking that this would already have been done,” McKeon said.
McKeon said the president should “go to the American people and the Congress” before any military intervention in Syria.
More than 100 lawmakers have signed a letter saying it would be unconstitutional for the president to take military action without getting authorization from Congress.
Meanwhile, a new NBC News poll shows that about 80 percent of Americans say Obama should receive congressional approval before using force in Syria.
The United States has released an intelligence report which concluded that Syrian government forces launched a chemical attack in the suburbs of Damascus last week, killing hundreds of civilians.
However, the Syrian government has categorically rejected the allegations that it had any role in the attack.
Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. The Western powers and their regional allies — especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey — are supporting the militants operating inside Syria, according to reports.
According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and a total of 7.8 million of others displaced due to the violence.
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