Senate-crafted Syria resolution riddled with loopholes for Obama

Senators on Wednesday tried to write a tight resolution authorizing President Obama to strike Syria under very specific circumstances, but analysts and lawmakers said the language still has plenty of holes the White House could use to expand military action well beyond what Congress appears to intend.

“Wiggle room? Plenty of that,” said Louis Fisher, scholar in residence at the Constitution Project and former long-time expert for the Congressional Research Service on separation of powers issues.

Writing the actual language to empower and constrain Mr. Obama is proving to be a difficult task, with the key authors being pulled in various directions.


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WASHINGTON —U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., joined a narrow majority voting in favor of a resolution Wednesday authorizing President Barack Obama to use force against Syria.


On a 10-7 vote, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee gave the green light for air strikes in response to the Syrian regime's suspected use of chemical weapons in its civil war.

"I understand that there are a lot of people in New Hampshire, my home state, and throughout this country who are war-weary, who are concerned about the consequences of the use of military force," Shaheen said. "I share those concerns, but I do believe that we have to act to deter the spread and use of weapons of mass destruction."

The president declared before the vote that he still has the right to act without congressional approval.

It was last year when Obama said the use of chemical weapons was the "red line" that, once crossed, would trigger American intervention. Critics said failure to strike Syria could erode his credibility.

"I didn't set a red line; the world set a red line," said Obama, speaking in Sweden. "My credibility's not on the line; the international community's credibility is on the line."

The House, which has yet to weigh in, heard Thursday from Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, who told representatives that some of Syria's weapons stockpile comes from Russia.

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This is a perfect case of what our country is. Wasn't the whole idea that OUR representatives are supposed to vote for what we want, hence our REPRESENTATIVES? Aren't they supposed to represent we, the people???? According to all the polls I have read most of our population, not just NH is against the war. Yet they are all voting for it?? Doesn't surprise me though. Typical.