Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will argue for U.S. military action against Syria on a televised appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday.
The appearance marks the latest initiative of President Barrack Obama’s “flood the zone” campaign to convince Congress that military action in Syria is necessary following last month’s chemical attack. While many doubt the Syrian administration’s involvement with the attack, the State Department released a statement expressing their certainty of the Syrian government’s culpability, reports The Washington Post t.
Many are wary of U.S. involvement in Syria, citing the Vietnam War and Iraq’s War on Terrorism as examples of failed endeavors to aid foreign countries. Furthermore, Republicans must be careful in opposing Obama because of it’s ideological implications.
The NY Times quotes Michael Goldfarb, a neoconservative lobbyist, “Right now, the easy Republican vote looks like the vote against Obama [...] Ten days from now, a vote against Obama could look like a vote for Assad, especially if Republicans succeed in blocking U.S. action, and [President Bashar Al-Assad] goes on to prevail, having used chemical weapons, with Iran at his side.”
The USS Nimitz, a nuclear-powered air craft carrier, has already started advancing into the Red Sea in case of necessary aid.