U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Panel Votes for Syria Strike
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
U.S. President Barack Obama's plan to conduct punishing military strikes on Syria passed its first congressional hurdle Wednesday, paving the way for full Senate debate on the use of force.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed an amended resolution 10-7, with one senator voting present, that authorizes U.S. military intervention with a 90-day deadline and bars U.S. boots on the ground for combat purposes.
The full Senate is expected to vote on the measure next week.
The Democratic chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Menendez, and the panel's top Republican, Sen. Bob Corker, crafted the resolution.
The vote marked the first time lawmakers have voted to authorize military action since the October 2002 votes giving President George W. Bush the authority to invade Iraq.
Lawmakers had demanded changes to the draft resolution.
The committee held a three-hour, classified session to try to thrash out an agreement after Republican veteran Senator John McCain appeared to balk at the plan because it did not go far enough.
"Without the provision on reversing the momentum on the battlefield, then conditions are not created for the departure of (Syrian president) Bashar Assad," McCain told reporters after emerging from the briefing.
"We need to have that provision," McCain insisted. "There is no policy without that, and there is no strategy without that."
Secretary of State John Kerry briefed the committee behind closed doors before rushing to provide testimony at a panel of the House of Representatives, where lawmakers and analysts foresee a tough fight over Obama's military strike plan.
"We need to send to Syria -- and to the world, to dictators and terrorists, to allies and civilians alike -- the unmistakable message that when we say never again, we actually don't mean sometimes, we don't mean somewhere, we mean never again," Kerry told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
"As we debate, the world is watching and the world is wondering, not whether Assad's regime actually did this," Kerry added.
"The world is wondering whether the United States of America is going to consent through silence to stand aside while this kind of brutality is allowed to happen without consequence."
Democrat and Republican leaders in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had announced the bipartisan resolution and scheduled a markup and vote for mid-day Wednesday, but it got bumped back a few hours amid what was clearly dissent about the path forward.
Number two Senate Democrat Dick Durbin, who has not said whether he supports Obama's plan, had said he introduced an amendment that calls for being "more specific in terms of the authority of the president in Syria."
Democratic Senator Chris Coons said he filed an amendment that addresses the humanitarian impact on U.S. regional allies of two million refugees from Syria.
Republican Senator Ron Johnson has voiced skepticism about the wisdom and cost of the intervention, and on Wednesday he said the Senate and administration were moving too quickly.
"I think a vote today is ridiculous," he told Agence France Presse after the closed-door briefing.
"We're rushing this process, and there's no need to."
04 September 2013, 23:08
1713
Yala M14ers start cheer leading. Al-Qeda's Air Force is on the way!!!!
04 September 2013, 23:43
812
Man ohhh man. The logic behind your arguments is soo riveting. You guys are stopping me in my tracks. All the facts and logic all you M14ers on Naharnet provide is tooo much ya man :)
honestly, if this is the best you fools can come up with, then its better you go back to watchin al-qeada man on man pron. If you cant type anything with a bit of knowledgeable info then pls just stop.
05 September 2013, 00:24
411
name and address: we'll come have a drink with you to check your 'sect' and the rest.
declining is not an option.... you'd prove you're a liar. you have nothing to fear for your life, the chabiha, terrorists and assassins are on the M8 side 'Mr Educated'. LOL, mahek scorpyonn?
05 September 2013, 00:32
97
It's really incredible how many smart and financially successful Persian propagandists are here posting comments on the internet 24/7. They are so smart and successful. It's not strange at all that they have so much time to spend posting propaganda on an M14-leaning website. It makes a lot of sense to me.
Yes, we believe everything you say. By the way, I just smoked a joint with Tupac and Elvis, and they believe you also.
05 September 2013, 16:44
10
Hey D-bag, I just did a "small statistics", 19 posts by "rbaker765". double the posts of any M14er.
Also, it's rather curious that the name "rbaker765" was previously unknown one month ago, and now he posts 24/7, just like what you used to do. His prolific posts seems to coincide with your slacking off..... coincidence????
04 September 2013, 23:46
126
Why are you worried? The great Syrian airforce will handle anything......unamrned...
04 September 2013, 23:47
124
Why are you worried? The great Syrian airforce will handle anything......unarmed...
04 September 2013, 23:59
135
you have the same way of thinking as george bush or hitler or staline... the good ones (M8 and their masters) and the evil ones (M14) ... if against you it necessarily means you are a sionist or alqaeda or american or a terrorist...or... LOL
labeling your opponents of alqaeda or israelis or whatever suits your propaganda shows how weak and out of arguments you are...
first and last time i address you a post, no need for further discussion with brainwashed and stupid people
05 September 2013, 00:08
115
... and what qualifies you to make such comments, you Iranian puppet? Always coming up with conspiracy theories to protect yourselves and hide behind facts. Your masters in Iran have taught you well how to lie and make up supefluous stories.
05 September 2013, 01:16
67
P1:
1-As a US citizen, I am opposed to a military strike on Syria because the Syrian regime has not committed an act of war against the USA.
2-The United Nations is a worthless body of I don't know what but until we replace it with something better, it is the agreed upon international body for governing world affairs. If the US wants to strike the Syrian regime for humanitarian reasons, and I am all for that, then a UN resolution for such an action must be obtained. America does not live in a bubble and it shouldn't be making humanitarian decisions without the support and financial backing of the United Nation.
05 September 2013, 01:16
47
P2:
3-If he US wants to Strike the Syrian regime for other reasons and I suspect it does then it should explain clearly to the American people what the goal is and what is the exigent circumstance requiring such an action, ie an imminent threat to the security of the United States.
4-As a tax payer, I reject the use of US military arsenal to fight a war I do not understand and my government hasn't explained to me.
05 September 2013, 01:27
15
P3:
The above said, I have no clue what's going on but it stinks from here to high heaven if you ask me. If we cared so much about the Syrian people, why didn't we help them when they were being slaughtered in the streets with heavy artillery and tanks for the crime of peacefully protesting a malevolent regime and well before all kinds of savages from all over the world infiltrated their ranks? Who's the clever one who is going to knock some sense into me? Citizens shouldn't be gassed, no, never and the world shouldn't haven't stood idly by and let it happen in the first place. I condemn anyone who had a hand in letting this conflict evolve to this, whoever they may be. I am simply disgusted. May God punish the guilty and save the innocent.
05 September 2013, 02:26
45
I don't subscribe to conspiracy theories or left wing rags that publish documents out of context of the opinion of one man. Kindly steer clear of me. I respectfully submit you are not someone I care to debate.
05 September 2013, 03:04
64
Bandoul: our world is like the jungle or an ocean.... the weak gets swallowed by the strong. Sure, there are vegans.... but they are outliers.
¿Does it not make you wonder -sometimes- why God created us? especially if we are in his own image?
¡It's confusing!
05 September 2013, 03:48
64
Hey I am Shia also so do not show your ignorance by stereotyping. Shame on you! You should be proud of who you are; however it akes me vomit to see what armed gangs have done to the Shiite people.
05 September 2013, 03:59
66
absolumente scorpyon, the entire community has been hijacked, and is now kept hostage of 2 men: Nusralla and Berry. It's a shame.....
This also applies to Syria's alawites.
Sectarismo is the enemy of democracy and unity.
05 September 2013, 04:41
52
Bandoul: your assessment is spot on but the UN will never have a resolution as long as Russia and China block it so that is a dead end. As for why the US did not help early on, my gut feeling on that is the opposition is far too fragmented and the US had no guaranties on who would end up in charge and what kind of policy they would have towards Israel and the current stock of chemical weapons as well as the US just did not want to put boots on the ground for any reason whatsoever. Lastly, nursa's presence there highly complicates things and makes it hard for the US to support them after what happened in Iraq. That's just my take on it.
05 September 2013, 07:53
22
Prime suspect. Well said. No need to dehumanize the victims of oppressors and tyrants. It behooves all of us to support each other. If it happened to the Shiites in Lebanon or the Alawis in Syria, it could happen to the rest of us.
05 September 2013, 03:11
64
is anyone surprised that this was gonna happen? regardless of who you guys support , as lebanese all of us , can u imagine if assad was the president of lebanon for 40 years ( his dad then himself) and you had to live under his rule ? so you either become a baas/ a gestapo member and go around living your life with no hope of changing ANYTHING ever unless you immigrate ? do u think before the last 2 years a forum discussing the situation in syria and the assad could exist? thank God we are in lebanon and we ALL need to vote AGAINST despotism ...whether we like the west or russia , I do not believe anyone likes to be told what to say, when to say it, how to live , where he can go and what he can make ....
05 September 2013, 05:29
53
I can not imagine a Lebanon of the Wahabis or a Lebanon of Mullahs. My Lebanon is one of open mindedness, progressive living, civil minded patriots and intellectuality. My Lebanon is that of fine arts and sound music ........ Fairuz, Wadih and Nasri
05 September 2013, 06:42
13
If and when Bashar Al Assad's regime fails, the more important outcome for Lebanon is whether the new regime will continue to interfere with Lebanon's affairs, dominate, and disrespect our sovereignty for the same or similar reasons as their predecessors. Meaning, whether their claim over Lebanon is a "general Syrian" position that does not cross party or religious lines. This, and many others, are the reason why, if the regime falls, the anti Assad/H.A. parties in Lebanon should accept the outcome with "humility" and a "renewed commitment" to bring all parties together which should give the people of Lebanon a better platform and position to confront and deal with future aggressors and/or those who want to exploit Lebanon's generosity, our land and resources.
05 September 2013, 08:10
13
bigjohn. Thanks for the input. I left a year after the Syrians came to Lebanon. I was also young, I was numb, bewildered, and did not understand the dynamics of what was going on in the country. To me, the underlying reasons, circumstances and/or the way Syria exited from Lebanon still keeps me baffled. May be because I don't know the details. In any event, undoubtedly and at the least there is a very colorful/interesting history and relationship between the two countries.
05 September 2013, 07:20
16
Arabs and Persians were great nations....1000 years ago. They were open to Greek philosophy and sciences, Indian literature and the rest of the known world. They actually contributed to the world in inventions, poetry, algebra, etc. unlike the "white European" world which was lead by sick religious freaks and despots.
Today it is the other way round. Just reading the posts defending baby killers and bearded maniacs makes me sick. Every murder is justified by the obsession of Israel. Israel has become the reason to justify the worst kind of murders, theft, corruption and repression in Arab and Persian lands.
05 September 2013, 07:28
25
Israel and Palestine is the world's problem... The road to Jerusalem does not go through Jounieh, Daraa, Reef Dimashq, Baghdad, innocent civilians, the opium fields of Iran, the gas industry of Iran, the oil industry of Syria, ...
These despots and religious freaks destroyed the Arab and Persian nations in the name of Palestine. They filled their pockets and murder anyone who dares to question them.
Time for the lie to end.
05 September 2013, 07:32
25
Bashar and his father killed so many Lebanese, Palestinans and Syrians...more than any Israel ever did...Time for them to be punished.
05 September 2013, 08:22
15
I am not so sure if bigjohn is saying that he supports Syria or Assad's regime. I appears he is reciting and/or giving an explanation of the occurrences of the time.
05 September 2013, 09:00
25
10-7 ?
You all have a lot more BS to sell ! Is that all !
Now for the Congress , they will be much much harder to sell to , no more of any Fabricated BS !
Vote NO ! No more WAR !
WW3 is in your hands & in the hands of the Amrican people ! VOTE NO!
Signed Wolf !!!
