Bob Corker
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker on Monday said he would support a decision by the president to engage in surgical strikes against the Syrian government given the evidence of the Assad regime’s continued use of chemical weapons, a press release said.
However, he cautioned against any further involvement beyond supporting “vetted, moderate members of the Syrian opposition,” the release said. The senator urged the Obama administration to eventually seek congressional authorization for any use of military force in Syria.
Corker is a Tennessee Republican and ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee.
“I don’t think there’s any question in our administration’s mind that chemical warfare has been used, and so…I hope they come to Congress for an authorization at some point,” Corker said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Monday. “I think you’re going to see a surgical, proportional strike against the Assad regime for what they have done, and I support that. I do not want us, though, to move into a situation where we’re moving beyond supporting the moderate opposition on the ground. I think Syrians need to be the ones to deal with this issue but certainly with the use of chemical warfare, I think we have to act; and I think we’ll do so again in a very surgical proportional way.”
He also discussed the situation in Syria on CBS’ “This Morning” and NBC’s “The Today Show.”
The Syrian conflict is now in its third year.
