A leading skeptic of U.S. intervention in conflicts abroad said Sunday that he believes there is only a “50/50” chance that the GOP-controlled House will vote to authorize the use of U.S military force in Syria.
“I think it’s at least 50/50 whether the House will vote down involvement in the Syrian war,” Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said on NBC’s Meet the Press.
“I think the Senate will rubber stamp what [Obama] wants but I think the House will be a much closer vote,” he added. “And there are a lot of questions we have to ask.”
Paul, a staunch defender of civil liberties who has battled against members of his own party over the government’s use of drones and NSA data collection programs, said he believes it’s a “mistake” to get involved in a civil war in Syria that could escalate “out of control.”
But he praised President Barack Obama’s announcement Saturday that he will seek congressional authority for military intervention in the civil war-torn country.
Other influential GOP leaders also indicated Sunday that Obama may lose the vote.
““I think it is going to be difficult to get the vote through in Congress, especially when there’s going to be time over the next nine days for opposition to build up to it,” said New York Rep. Peter King on Fox News Sunday. King, who sharply criticized Obama on Friday for “abdicating his responsibility as commander-in-chief” for seeking congressional authorization, said Congress would “probably” reject authorization if the vote was held today.
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