The Senate’s leading critic of President Obama’s war plans in Syria is now calling for a “permanent hold” on the vote to authorize military force in Congress following a surprise proposal from Russia to avert a military confrontation.
On Tuesday, as the Obama administration ramped up its lobbying on Capitol Hill, Sen. Rand Paul convened a group of some 30 lawmakers skeptical of a military intervention in Syria. The group — which included Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN) and two dozen others — discussed different strategies for staving off a military intervention and the desire to call off a vote to authorize military force.
“I think everybody is hopeful that putting the vote on a permanent hold would be the best route forward,” Paul said in an interview with The Cable.
The push to delay a vote comes as Syria hawks, including Secretary of State John Kerry and Republican Senator John McCain, renew their push for Congressional authorization for a strike. In the meantime, the White House agreed Tuesday to talks on a Russian plan that would avert a military strike by having Syria hand over its chemical weapons stockpile to the international community.
Read more at THE CABLE – FOREIGN POLICY
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