WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement on President Trump’s decision to order a missile attack on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad:
“Bashar al-Assad’s violence against his own people is horrendous, and he must be held to account by the international community for the many thousands of his fellow Syrians he has murdered in chemical and conventional attacks. But President Trump is dangerously escalating the situation by acting with no legal authority and no consistent and thoughtful plan. Today, the president said his action isn’t necessarily over. But just two weeks ago, President Trump announced he wanted to withdraw troops from Syria. This isn’t reality TV — tough talk with no long-term strategy puts the Syrian people, American troops, and our allies in danger. The U.S can’t afford to be dragged deeper into the Syrian civil war, and doing so risks a great power conflict.
“President Trump must seek a new authorization from Congress to wage war in Syria. I will continue to push for Congress to debate and pass an AUMF and require the administration to fully explain its strategy, and the cost, impact on American troops, and the parameters of its plans in Syria. Sporadic strikes aren’t in our national security interest and haven’t sent Assad running -- they have emboldened him and those who want to prop him up. And, at the same time, we can’t afford endless war in the region. Military action will not solve the conflict in Syria or bring peace to the Middle East; that will require diplomatic engagement in the region and with Assad’s allies, including Russia and Iran.”
