Sens. McCain, Flake vote to authorize force in Syria
Sep 4, 2013, 2:28 PM | Updated: 2:42 pm
U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake of Arizona and eight other panel members Wednesday voted to authorize military action in Syria.
McCain, who earlier in the day had said he wouldn’t back the resolution to strike because it didn’t include enough support for Syrian opposition forces, had two amendments added.
The vote was 10-7.
“These amendments are vital to ensuring that any U.S. military operations in Syria are part of a broader strategy to change the momentum on the battlefield in Syria,” McCain said a statement.
“… These amendments would put the Congress on the record that this is the policy of the United States, as President Obama has assured me.”
Flake, another member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement, in part:
“As commander in chief, President Obama already has the authority to conduct a limited strike such as the one he has asked Congress to authorize. This president’s reasons for coming to Congree in this instance were political, not constitutional.
“I believe in a strong commander in chief who takes actions as warranted and stands by them, which is why I voted in favor of the resolution in committee.”
The measure is expected to go before the full Senate next week.
