A Service of UA Little Rock
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Arkansas Congressmen Weigh Syria Decision

Map of Syria
npr.org

President Obama's decision Saturday to allow Congress to weigh the issue of military strikes in Syria means Arkansas lawmakers have to make up their minds soon. KUAR's Jacob Kauffman has more... 

The President's announcement prompted Republican Congressmen Tim Griffin to issue a statementSaturday. He said he was “encouraged” by the President's decision to seek approval from Congress but said he was “skeptical,” suggesting military action might not be “appropriate in this instance.”

Republican Tom Cotton, who is running for Senate, said a day before Griffin, the US needs to take “decisive military action.” The other four members of Arkansas's Congressional delegation have not yet issued statements.

Evidence of Syria's use of chemical weapons appears solid. All of Arkansas's Congressmen, except Vic Snyder, supported the use of force in Iraq back in 2002, with only the suspicion of weapons of mass destruction.

Jacob Kauffman is a former news anchor and reporter for KUAR.
Related Content
  • Lawmakers from both parties in the House and Senate are praising President Obama for seeking their authorization for any military action in Syria. Still, Congress isn't even scheduled to return to Washington until Sept. 9. And how might they vote? It's "kind of a gamble" says NPR congressional reporter Ailsa Chang.