Kerry opens door to 'boots on ground' in Syria, then slams it shut
Source: Reuters
(Reuters) - Secretary of State John Kerry briefly opened the door on Tuesday to authorizing U.S. ground troops in Syria, but quickly slammed it shut and told Congress that any resolution approving military force would prohibit "boots on the ground."
The exchange during the first public hearing in Congress on possible military action in Syria highlighted the worries of many lawmakers about authorizing U.S. military strikes to punish the Syrian government for using chemical weapons on civilians.
Kerry initially told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he would prefer not to bar the use of ground troops in Syria to preserve President Barack Obama's options if Syria "imploded" or there was a threat of chemical weapons being obtained by extremists.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/03/us-syria-crisis-usa-kerry-idUSBRE9820ZR20130903
Arctic Dave
(13,812 posts)Loose lips sink war plans.
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Supersedeas
(20,630 posts)daleo
(21,317 posts)Once you start, it's hard to stop.
polichick
(37,152 posts)polichick
(37,152 posts)Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)Essentially, it would be preferable not to have the constraint not because theres any intention or any desire
whatsoever to put boots on the ground.
Anyone ask him why he would prefer it that way?
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)and that AFTER this intervention - what might happen in the future would have nothing to do with THIS current resolution - it would be a new different issue.
another_liberal
(8,821 posts)That door will pop open again quite soon.
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)he made rand look like the fool that he is. if rand thinks he`s presidential material he`s delusional.
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)Had a busy evening
jakeXT
(10,575 posts)Sen Paul: If Assad did it he's irrational, and now you're going to deter him and have him become rational?
https://twitter.com/davidcnswanson/status/375011993138524161
jwirr
(39,215 posts)the use of military power to 90 days and specifies NO boots on the ground. That is better than what they gave bushie but not much better. I wish there was something in it about waiting for more evidence from the UN inspectors.