Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) urged the Obama administration to first acquire more information about the use of chemical weapons in Syria and then seek congressional approval before taking any possible military action.
“The United States should condemn the use of chemical weapons. We should ascertain who used the weapons and we should have an open debate in Congress over whether the situation warrants U.S. involvement,” Paul said in a statement on Wednesday. “The Constitution grants the power to declare war to Congress not the President.
“The war in Syria has no clear national security connection to the United States and victory by either side will not necessarily bring in to power people friendly to the United States,” he added.
A number of House lawmakers have signed a letter urging President Barack Obama to seek congressional approval before taking military action against Syria. Rep. Scott Rigell (R-VA) plans to deliver the letter Wednesday evening. He had been planning to send the letter to the White House earlier in the day but later extended the deadline for signatures.
