WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tom Udall today expressed deep concerns about President Trump's increasing military involvement in the Syrian civil war. Udall reiterated his call for Congress to debate and approve an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) before the president begins a new war in the Middle East. Udall has long said that Congress should debate and vote on a new AUMF for the war against ISIS; the United States is currently acting under an AUMF approved 15 years ago after the 9/11 terror attack. And if the president believes the United States should go to war against the Syrian government, Udall has argued that the Constitution requires a new AUMF.
Udall issued the following statement after a briefing for senators about the bombing in Syria yesterday:
“Bashar al-Assad should be held accountable for the heinous killing of his own people, including the many thousands who have been murdered by chemical and conventional weapons alike throughout his time in power. And I pray that all U.S. service personnel involved in these — and any — U.S. military actions are safe and secure. But the president’s decision to launch last night's retaliation showed a disturbing lack of respect for the extremely dangerous impact our actions can have on American troops and the Syrian people — and how they could affect the civil war and the greater war against ISIS in the region. It isn't at all clear that further U.S. involvement, military regime change, and occupation of Syria during this complex civil war will truly save lives. In fact, an escalation of our involvement in this exceedingly complicated conflict may only make matters worse.
"One of the things that concerns me the most is how quickly President Trump changed tack, from backing Assad to bombing him – over a few days. What does President Trump plan to do if Assad gasses his own people again, and what is the U.S. approach with regard to Russia and Iran, which are propping up the Assad regime? Does the policy of attacking first and asking questions later also apply to other countries where civilian populations are threatened by civil war and authoritarian leadership? After arguing against foreign interventions as a candidate, President Trump has, in less than 100 days, sent hundreds of troops to Syria and now launched a missile attack. The American people should be very concerned that we are heading rapidly toward another war in the Middle East with no strategy, no clear time frame or cost, no clear winner — and no authorization from Congress.
“My position is the same under President Trump's administration as it was under President Obama's. Targeted airstrikes in response to chemical attacks may or may not have an impact on Assad’s behavior, but the United States can't afford endless war and occupation in the Middle East. The president should seek a new AUMF for the fight against ISIS. And if he wants to wage war against the Syrian government, the Constitution requires him to seek an AUMF from Congress. If he does not, Congress should vote on whether to allow President Trump to maintain the troops he already sent into Syrian territory. Congress must do its job before our men and women in uniform are sent into another catastrophic war from which many may never return home.”
