Congress members call for comprehensive Syria strategy in wake of strikes over chemical attack

Several members of Congress were quick to react to President Donald Trump's announcement that the US, in concert with the UK and France, had deployed "precision strikes" on chemical weapons targets in Syria.

Many criticised the move because he did not seek Congressional approval, though the administration justified it by citing that thwarting chemical weapons use in the "vital national interest" of the US, an exception that does not explicitly need Congressional approval according to some experts. Democrats like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senator Tim Kaine were joined by Republican Representative Thomas Massie in hitting out at the president for not consulting the constitution. However, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement: "The planning for this robust operation by the US and our allies was clearly well-considered. It is evident that the President was provided with a number of options, and that our forces executed a challenging mission".

The Pentagon confirmed the first wave of strikes is complete as a response to a suspected chemical weapons attack on the city of Douma, where 60 people were reported killed and 1,000 injured. It was a multi-target attack and done in cooperation with allies, as opposed to last year's unilateral American missile strike, carried out in response to chemical weapons use in an attack on the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun.

Mr Massie said that he has not read the Constitutions of France or the UK but "I’ve read ours and nowhere in it is presidential authority to strike Syria". Senator Bob Casey tweeted: "While [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad must be held accountable for his unlawful use of chemical weapons against civilians, the strikes that are being carried out are being done without an authorisation from Congress, which is unacceptable".

Senator Angus King said in a statement that “Congress must take on a larger role in this decision making, as it is incumbent upon our nation’s legislative body to authorise the use of military force. As we move forward in the days ahead, I will continue to push for a more comprehensive strategy in Syria”.

Some said the president needed to consider the larger strategy in Syria before ordering a strike, regardless of it target three specific facilities crucial to the Syrian chemical weapons operations. Senator John McCain said that Mr Trump "needs to lay out our goals, not just with regard to Isis, but also the ongoing conflict in Syria and malign Russian and Iranian influence in the region”. Ms Pelosi noted "one night of airstrikes" was not going to end the years-long conflict in the country and demanded a plan going forward.

"The President must come to Congress and secure an Authorisation for Use of Military Force by proposing a comprehensive strategy with clear objectives that keep our military safe and avoid collateral damage to innocent civilians," she said in a statement. The US is currently operating under the same authorisation that was given in 2003 for the Iraq war.

Mr Kaine called the strikes "reckless" and "illegal". In a statement he said: "Last week, President Trump was adamant that the US was leaving Syria imminently. This week, he is opening a new military front".

In his speech, Mr Trump said: “To Iran and Russia, I ask, what kind of nation wants to be associated with the mass murder of innocent men, women, and children? The nations of the world will be judged by the friends they keep.” Mr Trump publicly confronted the countries that have been on the side of Mr Assad’s regime. Russia has repeatedly blocked measures regarding Syria in the United Nations Security Council as well. Mr Trump said Russia must decide whether it wants to ”continue down this dark path or join with civilised nations” in combating the use of chemical weapons and ending the ongoing conflict.

Mr Trump said that this would not be a single strike on the Assad regime but a “sustained response” until the regime stopped the use of chemical weapons. Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton tweeted that a '“Sustained response” = war. And that requires the authorization of Congress - unless you don’t believe in the Constitution". Another Congressman, Ro Khanna, tweeted that the "The American people deserve a vote on whether we go to war with Syria, and potentially Russia and Iran," noting the possibility that this will escalate into a full-blown conflict as the Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov condemned the airstrikes and warned that "such actions will not be left without consequences".