Oliver Willis @owillis
if only we had a seasonally appropriate story about middle eastern people seeking refuge being turned away by the heartless 2:03 PM – 16 Nov 2015
And in Kansas:
Rep. Kevin Yoder @RepKevinYoder
Today, I wrote @POTUS demanding he reject refugees from Syria or other nations w/ties to ISIS from entering the US. 4:39 PM – 16 Nov 2015
And in Missouri:
Jason Hancock @J_Hancock
@PeterKinder, @HanawayForGov & @JohnBrunnerMO each call on @GovJayNixon to block Syrian refugee relocation to Missouri #mogov 2:28 PM – 16 Nov 2015
A video from Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) on Syria:
Representative Vicky Hartzler (r): Hi, I wanted to give you an update on the situation in Syria. Since I’ve been back this we, uh, week I’ve sat in on over four hours of classified briefings and an additional, uh, two hours of briefings by Secretary of State, uh, John Kerry, uh, Department of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and, uh, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey on this, uh, situation.
Uh, obviously I’m looking at all of the information. And at this point I still do not see a direct U.S. interest in getting involved. And I see a lot of potential hazards for having military action. Uh, certainly there’s the possibility of retaliation that I’m concerned about that could draw us into an even further conflict in the Middle East. I’m also concerned about the cost of waging this war. We have, uh, significant defense cuts right now going on, uh, which is hampering our, our military and our national security. We are still at war in Afghanistan. And so at this time I still do not see, uh, a reason to get involved.
I very much appreciated all of the input that I have received from you. Thank you for phone calls, your e-mails, your responses to facebook. And I continue to want to hear from you.
As you know the President spoke last night about this situation and, uh, certainly I agree that these chemical, uh, attacks were severe atrocities. Uh, but yet there is really no clear ally in this civil war over there that we can get behind and, uh, I don’t see the, the benefit or wisdom of it at this time.
The Russians, as you know, have put forth a proposal, uh, that, uh, our country is looking at and I think that is wise to look into this idea of involving a U.N. Security Council agreement for Assad to give up his chemical weapons and for it to come under control of, uh, foreign United Nations, uh, forces, to be dismantled. Uh, but I, I have my doubts that that will transpire knowing the track history of Russia. But certainly it’s worthy to, uh, to pursue.
So I’m gonna to continue to be monitoring the situation and I welcome your input into this very, very important topic. Uh, thank you for, uh, the privilege of representing you and, uh, rest assured, I’m gonna continue to do due diligence and do all I can to stand for our military and for a strong national security. Have a good day.
Well, it appears that isolationism trumps defense sequestration.
So, if a state commits crimes against humanity and we’re really not into any of the other sides that we can get behind, we do what? Just asking.
Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) has issued the following statement regarding her conference call with citizens of the Fourth District who expressed their views on the situation in Syria:
“I pledged that I would listen to the thoughts and concerns of the citizens of Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District regarding this important issue. I have previously stated that I have concerns about the President’s plan to strike Syria, and have yet to be convinced that military action against the Assad regime is in the interests of the United States. Our conference call has further solidified my deep reservations as 97% of participants expressed opposition to our involvement. I thank all the citizens of our district who called in or who have expressed their feelings through telephone calls, emails, letters, and faxes to our offices in Washington and throughout the district. I value the input and will consider all the comments my office has received as I have the opportunity to cast MO-4’s vote in this critical time.”
….There’s no peaceful, productive relationship with Congress for this vote to disrupt. The White House can’t get anything past House Republicans now. Neither a “yes” nor a “no” vote on Syria won’t change that. The downstream consequences of a congressional rebuff are, effectively, zero. It’s a few bad news cycles, and then all Washington will be talking about is the October debt limit….
….Indeed, a lengthy involvement in Syria could harm the White House’s other priorities. As Matt Yglesias at Slate notes, it’s going to be a lot harder for the White House to hold the line against the GOP’s attempts to cancel sequestration’s defense cuts (and only the defense cuts) when the military is actually dropping bombs in a foreign land….
Gee, leverage on defense sequestration. And then there’s the AIPAC voting block in the district.
Speaking out at Representative Emanuel Cleaver’s (D) town hall on military intervention in Syria – Kansas City – September 5, 2013.
On Thursday evening in Kansas City Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D) held an open town hall on military intervention in Syria. After brief introductory remarks Congressman Cleaver opened up the microphone to anyone who wanted to speak on the subject. People did so, one after another, for almost two hours.
….Congressman Cleaver, thank you for attempting to hear the people that you represent and representing us.
The core issue here is, allegedly, the use of Sarin gas and the desire to protect the Syrian people from that atrocity in the future. I ask you, please, even if you are a minority voice insist that whatever actions are considered point toward the elimination of that atrocity in the nation of Syria. All of the objections to military action have already been raised. Please ba a voice, even if it’s a minority voice. Thank you.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D): Well, one of, one of the things that, that, uh, that this has done, and I, and I actually think it’s good, is that, uh, as I’m talking with colleagues and, and, and listening to conversations, uh, even with the White House, this has not, to this point, fallen down along political lines. [voices] Uh, I, which I think is healthy for, for the country….
Representative Emanuel Cleaver – town hall on military intervention in Syria – Kansas City – September 5, 2013.
Speaking out at Representative Emanuel Cleaver’s (D) town hall on military intervention in Syria – Kansas City – September 5, 2013.
On Thursday evening in Kansas City Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D) held an open town hall on military intervention in Syria. After brief introductory remarks Congressman Cleaver opened up the microphone to anyone who wanted to speak on the subject. People did so, one after another, for almost two hours.
Uh, good evening Congressman [….] I am a concerned citizen.
Uh, let me preface my statement by first saying that I think what’s happening in Syria is heartbreaking. Watching the news and seeing children in body bags, men and women being indiscriminately attacked is awful.
With that being said I can’t help but be suspicious of our government when it comes to foreign intervention in to conflicts that we as a nation have no interest or no reason to be involved in in the first place.
Several years of war in Iraq have left me incredibly fed up and wary of this. Even though what’s gone on in Syria is terrible I just can’t put my heart toward saying, yes, this is the right thing for us to do.
The second thing I’d like to say is, even in the midst of all this foreign policy kerfuffle it feels like we’re taking our focus off of the main issue that’s effected a lot of people locally here. Which is, pulling our nation out of a deep recession. And I feel that diverting everyone’s attention to go to this, uh, Syrian conflict is taking off our focus. Our, we should be focused like a laser beam on fixing our own situation here. Americans gotta come first. Because that’s what, that’s the way it works, right? What’s in it for us. We can’t be looking after other people when our own people are suffering every day. That’s all I have to say. Thank you. [Rep. Emanuel Cleaver: “Thank you.”]
Speaking out at Representative Emanuel Cleaver’s (D) town hall on military intervention in Syria – Kansas City – September 5, 2013.
On Thursday evening in Kansas City Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D) held an open town hall on military intervention in Syria. After brief introductory remarks Congressman Cleaver opened up the microphone to anyone who wanted to speak on the subject. People did so, one after another, for almost two hours.
….Thank you Congressman. Um, and I also want to thank all of my fellow citizens. Apathy and ignorance are the true enemies of Democracy. And people showing up and voicing their opinion means that our system still has some semblance of its, uh, original intent. [voices]
Um, I’m gonna disagree with a number of people that have spoken this evening. I want to pull back for just a second. I’m against this action. And I want to look at it from clinical, very cold hearted stand point.
I am unapologetic about the fact that I don’t believe in military action unless it is definitely in our best interests. I don’t see that here. I see reports [inaudible] that the U.N. that the rebels are the ones that are using the Sarin gas.
Is Assad a bad guy? I’m certain he’s a bad guy. I don’t see how us getting involved in is is gonna make him a better guy. Especially when the President himself has said that, hey, we’re not gonna depose the regime, the military action’s not gonna take a very long time, we’re gonna fire a shot across the bow.
We’re gonna be ineffective. If we’re gonna, if we’re gonna take military action we should go in with a specific plan to change the current situation. Us proving how big and bad we are doesn’t change the current situation.
That’s my opinion. Thank you for your time. [Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D): “Thank you.”] [applause]
Speaking out at Representative Emanuel Cleaver’s (D) town hall on military intervention in Syria – Kansas City – September 5, 2013.
On Thursday evening in Kansas City Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D) held an open town hall on military intervention in Syria. After brief introductory remarks Congressman Cleaver opened up the microphone to anyone who wanted to speak on the subject. People did so, one after another, for almost two hours.
[….]
….I watched the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with Kerry, Hagel, Dempsey getting their, uh, comments at the hearing. And I heard a lot about American credibility. I heard a lot about preventing a nuclear Iran. I heard a lot about just right out punishing Assad for show, right? What I didn’t hear was a credible argument, a statement, how this missile strike, how that [inaudible] will significantly degrade chemical weapons stockpile and prevent Assad from striking again. I heard that from neither [Secretary of Defense] Chuck Hagel, [Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] Martin Dempsey, nor [Secretary of State John] Kerry. It was all about the America and our position in the world. And nothing about the Syrian people. So if you could forward my comments I would gladly appreciate it. [applause]
Speaking out at Representative Emanuel Cleaver’s (D) town hall on military intervention in Syria – Kansas City – September 5, 2013.
On Thursday evening in Kansas City Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D) held an open town hall on military intervention in Syria. After brief introductory remarks Congressman Cleaver opened up the microphone to anyone who wanted to speak on the subject. People did so, one after another, for almost two hours.
….Hello, everyone and Congressman…. I’m a Syrian American. I’ve been in America my whole life, I was born here. But I go to Syria, I used to go to Syria every Summer since I was born. And I would always spend my Summers there, about three or four months.
And what I want to make clear to everyone in this room is that the Syrian people are anti-war, too. The revolution began as peaceful protests. But our government, the Syrian government responded with bombs. So, thousands of people would go out [inaudible] they want freedom, democracy, like we have here in the U.S., that we take for granted. And the, and the, the Syrian regime’s response was to attack them with bombs and, like you saw last week, chemical weapons.
So, really, they left us no choice but to beg people and beg the U.S. to intervene, and the United Nations. The United Nations has done nothing for two and a half years. No one has done anything. So now we are asking the U.S. and Obama to take action against Assad, the Assad regime, against their military targets that are apparently housing the chemical weapons.
And being a Syrian and wanting the U.S. to bomb my country, that’s a big deal. That’s, that shows you how serious this situation has become, how bad it is.
And, again, Obama made clear that he will only attack the military targets that are housing the chemical weapons. He promised no boots on the ground, no American lives will be at risk [voice: “Who said that?”].
And then the guy over there said that, where are the Arab countries? very good question. I’ve been asking that for two and a half years. The rest of the world has not acted. But that does not give us a reason to be silent. We are the strongest country in the world. And the strongest, when, with great power comes great responsibility. I think we owe it to humanity. Over one hundred thousand people have died. I think that we owe it to them, you know, to at least take a chance. I mean, [inaudible} says no boots on the ground, no American lives will be at risk. So why not take a chance to help? [voices] [Representative Cleaver: “Go ahead, please, go, finish.”] Thank you. [applause]
Speaking out at Representative Emanuel Cleaver’s (D) town hall on military intervention in Syria – Kansas City – September 5, 2013.
On Thursday evening in Kansas City Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D) held an open town hall on military intervention in Syria. After brief introductory remarks Congressman Cleaver opened up the microphone to anyone who wanted to speak on the subject. People did so, one after another, for almost two hours.
….Thank you for being here. Um, I came out tonight and much of my significant concerns about moving forward with a military strike against Syria at this time have been spoken to by my fellow constituents.
The thing that I’d like to add, and I apologize if I missed this earlier, uh, western intervention has a very long history in this region of the world as it does in many regions of the world. And I think that this strike will no doubt fit into that historical context. And those interventions have often been oppressive, unwelcome, hegemonic. And I don’t agree with that and I don’t think that’s what we preach here in the United States, although it happens all of the time, all over the world by our [inaudible], by our government. And so I just ask you to think very critically about what this means and how it fits into a much larger global picture. Thank you. [applause]
