Arizona’s US Reps. Pastor, Barber want more specifics about Syria

PHOENIX — Arizona Democratic Congressmen Ron Barber and Ed Pastor said President Barack Obama did the right thing by asking Congress to weigh in on possible military action in Syria.

Barber, of Tucson, said the United States must be careful with Syria and he wants more information before he makes his decision on U.S. action there.

“There’s so much we don’t know that is classified. I’m looking forward to the briefings and reading the material before I reach a decision,” Barber said. “Then we have to debate what makes sense. I want to know exactly what happened and who perpetrated the chemical warfare. I want to know what the President wants to do. And I want to know what the consequences are beyond the intervention in Syria.”

Barber said the vote for or against military action will be the most important decision he will make as a member of Congress so far.

Pastor, of Phoenix, said he believes that Britain’s refusal to support U.S. military action in Syria is behind the president’s decision to bring Congress into the decisionmaking process.

Pastor wants to know more specifics about the military action before he makes his decision.

“I want to know how limited it is and what will the effect will be. There are consequences and sometimes unintended consequences are bigger than what you planned for,” he said.

Congress returned to the nation’s capital Monday from summer recess and Pastor won’t speculate on when the House and Senate will decide whether the U.S. should take action in Syria.