Opposition to Syria attack emerges in Congress
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday he does not believe Congress will reject military action against Syria, but lawmakers are making it clear that the vote will not be easy and the outcome is not assured.
President Obama announced Saturday that he believes the United States should launch a military attack on Syria in response to an alleged Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack outside Damascus. But he said he would first seek approval from Congress for use of military force.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press that he thinks the Senate "will rubber-stamp what (Obama) wants, but I think the House will be a much closer vote." Paul said he believes "it's at least 50-50 whether the House will vote down involvement in the Syrian war."
Paul, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said it's not clear whether American interests are at stake in Syria, or whether opponents of the Assad regime would be any more friendly to the United States.