Politics

Rand Paul: ‘War in Syria has no clear national security connection’

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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As the Obama administration moves closer to launching strikes on Syria, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is arguing there’s no “national security” rationale for doing so.

“The war in Syria has no clear national security connection to the United States and victory by either side will not necessarily bring in to power people friendly to the United States,” Paul said Wednesday in a statement provided by his office.

“The United States should condemn the use of chemical weapons,” the Kentucky Republican added. “We should ascertain who used the weapons and we should have an open debate in Congress over whether the situation warrants U.S. involvement. The Constitution grants the power to declare war to Congress not the President.”

News outlets have reported that American strikes could occur as soon as Thursday in response to President Bashar al-Assad’s apparent use of chemical weapons in Syria’s civil war.

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