Rep. Adam Smith worried about US military strike in Syria
Aug 28, 2013, 9:49 AM | Updated: 10:26 am
In this Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2013 image taken from video obtained from the Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, smoke rises from buildings due to heavy shelling in Daraa, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)
(AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)
Washington Congressman Adam Smith is expressing concern about a possible military strike against Syria.
The ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee says the world must respond to Syria’s use of chemical weapons against civilians. But Smith said in a statement that he’s concerned “military action could have significant consequences and there is no guarantee that it would improve the situation or promote a positive outcome.”
In an interview with CNN, Smith conceded that what Syria’s president is doing is “terrible” but he cautioned, “We’re not in a military position to go in there and fix that.”
Smith warned, “What if Syria strikes back? They have said they will defend their interests. What if Syria shoots at one of our ships, one of our planes and tries to attack us in another way? Are we prepared to get into that type of an acceleration of that conflict?”
The 9th district democrat went on to say that “simply lashing out with military force under the banner of ‘doing something’ will not secure our interests in Syria.”
Smith issued a statement after visiting the Syria-Jordan border, where he’s advocating support for moderate elements of the opposition forces.
