Press Releases
U.S. Representative Massie Votes Against Intervention in Syria
Washington, DC,
September 17, 2014
Congressman Massie voted against the President's plan to arm and train Syrian rebels. The amendment passed the House, 273-156.
– Today, Congressman Massie voted against the President's plan to arm and train Syrian rebels. The amendment passed the House, 273-156.
“It is immoral to use the threat of a government shutdown to pressure Members to vote for involvement in war, much less a civil war on the other side of the globe,” said Rep. Massie. “Because the Syrian resolution is contained within the Continuing Resolution, Representatives and Senators must tacitly approve the President's aggressive intervention in order to vote to fund all government programs.”
Rep. Massie added, “Also, it is disingenuous for the Administration to tell the American public that we are arming Syrian rebels to fight ISIS when the Administration's stated objective is to topple the secular government of Syria, a government which has not committed aggression against the United States.”
Congressman Massie also questioned the effectiveness of supporting the rebels.
“If the goal of arming and training so-called moderate Syrian rebels is to eliminate ISIS, the plan will not work,” said Massie. “Military experts know this, and the President acknowledged as much five weeks ago when he stated that the idea that arming rebels would have made a difference has ‘always been a fantasy.’”
The amendment to arm and train Syrian rebels was attached to the Continuing Resolution to fund the government (H.J. Res 124), which passed 319-108.
Rep. Massie’s floor speech in opposition to the amendment can be viewed here.
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