Lawmakers welcome Obama seeking Congress' approval on Syria

Top US lawmakers today welcomed the decision of President Barack Obama to seek authorisation from the Congress on military action against the Syrian regime, with many saying they would give the necessary mandate to the White House.
"Under the Constitution, the responsibility to declare war lies with Congress. We are glad the president is seeking authorisation for any military action in Syria in response to serious, substantive questions being raised," House Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy and Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers said in a joint statement.
"In consultation with the president, we expect the House to consider a measure the week of September 9. This provides the president time to make his case to Congress and the American people," they said after Obama called for Congressional authorisation of his decision for a military strike against the Assad regime.

"We say what we mean, we mean what we say, and we don't look away when undeniable war crimes are committed. I will work with the Senate leadership in support of an Authorisation for Use of Military Force as expeditiously as possible," Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said.
"The mass atrocity committed by the Assad regime in grave violation of international law is searing to the soul and blinding to the eye. To allow a despot to gas his population indiscriminately and with impunity is to fail our values and to compromise our freedoms," he said.

"There is no fork in the road before us, there is no ambiguity to the evidence, for the use of chemical weapons against the innocent brings us to a point of no return. The Syrian regime and others like it must understand that red lines are indelible, that our foes should never question the resolve of the United States," Menendez said.
Republican Senator Johnny Isakson, said it is appropriate for the President to seek authorisation from Congress, but wished that he would have called the Congress back to vote on this immediately rather than waiting until September 9.
"I support the use of military action in Syria. If we fail to take strong action against Syria for this horrendous attack, then we are sending a signal to Syria as well as to Iran and North Korea that they are accountable to no one," he said.