As classified congressional briefings continue today, Pennsylvania US Senator Bob Casey says he has no doubt that Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against Syrian citizens.
Casey is a member of the National Security Working Group and thinks the United States needs to take an aggressive approach with Assad, by targeting the assets which allow Syria to maintain its military superiority in the region.
“We have to send a signal to Mr. Assad and other countries that we won’t tolerate this, and the international community won’t tolerate it,” says Casey.
While the President has the authority to act without congressional approval, Casey says the war in Iraq changed the dynamics of how presidential powers are acted upon. If the congressional vote does not go in the president's favor, Casey says Obama should push forward anyway.
He says otherwise, “it sends a message to the world that you can use chemical weapons and there will be no response.”
