Members of Congress are considering whether or not to authorize President Barack Obama’s plans for a military attack in Syria after President Bashar al Assad allegedly ordered the use of chemical weapons against his own people. Congressman Rush Holt (D-12) told NJ Today Managing Editor Mike Schneider that he doesn’t have the information he would need to approve of the military action.
Holt said he still has questions about the situation, including who did what to whom and what evidence there is to support it. He said the evidence shouldn’t just be what is presented to members of Congress in closed session and it should be understood by the general public in the United States and in the Syrian area.
“The only reason for the United States to do this is not retribution, not self defense because this is not directly threatening us. The only reason has to be to enforce international standards that the use of chemical weapons is beyond the pale. That it is uncivilized behavior,” Holt said. “That can’t be done unilaterally. It has to be done internationally, multi-nationally. One nation cannot enforce good behavior on behalf of the world on one other nation.”
Holt said he believes in addition to congressional approval, there should be something like a UN resolution authorizing force. “Can one nation enforce international standards? No. It has to be done internationally,” he said. He added that many nations throughout the world might say that the U.S. shouldn’t be the country enforcing it because of its role in Saddam Hussein’s use of chemical weapons against Iran decades ago.
The congressman isn’t sure if the Assad regime used chemical weapons, but doesn’t doubt that material like sarin gas was used. “I think it still needs to be demonstrated more specifically and that it was done by the Assad government and deliberately. But I think that probably will come to general understanding,” Holt said. “The question is what can make this truly international?”
When asked how he would vote on the authorization of military force if he had to today, Holt said, “I don’t have what I need now to vote yes. I’ll put it that way. And I think it’s likely to be a no because I don’t see the administration presenting the evidence that we’re going to need.”