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Murphy Blasts Lack Of Strategy In Syria After U.S. Airstrike

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D- Conn.) lambasted President Donald Trump's decision to execute missile strikes on Syrian targets overnight, calling the action "ill-thought out," and warned the attacks were "dragging us further into a civil war in which we cannot tip the scales."

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy

Photo Credit: File

United States forces fired 59 Tomahawk Missiles at sites held by  Bashar al-Assad following the reported use of chemical weapons that killed more than 100 people on Tuesday. 

"Yes, Bashar al-Assad should pay a price for the slaughter of civilians in Syria. But the decision over the nature of that consequence is not for President Trump to make alone," Himes said in his statement. "The Constitution states that only Congress can authorize military activity, and President Trump should have sought congressional approval before taking action."

Fellow Sen. Richard Blumenthal echoed Murphy's sentiments on the strike:

"Striking a single air field cannot stop Assad from continuing atrocities against his own people. It risks further escalation of the war in Syria and may endanger our own forces operating against ISIL."

The chemical attacks on Tuesday reportedly used the banned nerve agent Sarin. Syrian officials denied responsibility for the chemical attack, The New York Times reported

Congressman Jim Himes (D-4th District) was on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Friday and neither condemned nor condoned the attacks, calling them "proportional," but then went on to say the country could find itself mired in deeper issues in the near future as a result. 

Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-5th District) also agreed with the intent of Thursday's missile strikes, but warned about greater foreign relations issues.

We can’t pour resources and risk the lives of our troops in a new military conflict without a clear, comprehensive strategy and full consideration of the long-term ramifications," Esty said in a statement. "A comprehensive strategy should account for diplomatic avenues, a plan for dealing with Russia’s support of Assad, and a thoughtful refugee policy to alleviate the terrible humanitarian crisis created by the ongoing violence.”

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