As Oregon's representatives on Capitol Hill condemn a chemical weapons attack launched by the Syrian government that killed 80 people, they're also urging President Donald Trump to consult Congress for any further military action following Thursday's U.S. missile strike on the Middle East nation.
Both Sen. Jeff Merkley and Rep. Earl Blumenauer released statements fiercely criticizing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Thursday evening and urging caution on the part of the president in the wake of escalation in the region.
"Many Americans are deeply wary of being drawn into another war in the Middle East," Merkley wrote in a statement. "We owe the nation full consideration of the complete range of options, including pursuit of an international agreement to end the war and end Assad's reign of terror."
Blumenauer also signaled a demand that the Trump Administration seek other ways to react to the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
"If Trump's concern for the Syrian people is real, he should start by allowing refugees back in the country, fully funding humanitarian assistance, working on a comprehensive strategy to provide stability in that region, and obtaining a new and current Authorization for use of Military Force from Congress," he wrote in a statement.
Blumenauer criticized Trump for ordering the strike, a reversal from the president's stance on the campaign trail and in online missives in previous years.
"This turning on a dime makes it hard to believe he has thought this out and has a sense of where this all leads," he wrote.
Sen. Ron Wyden also released a statement Friday, his sentiments on the air strike similar to that of his colleagues on the Hill.
"I am relieved that Bashar al-Assad's most recent war crime--the use of banned nerve gas to poison his own citizens--has finally convinced the Trump administration what my Senate colleagues and I have long known: the bloodthirsty Assad regime has no qualms about the liquidation of its detractors," Wyden wrote.
Oregon's senior senator also criticized the Trump administration for what Wyden perceived as a lack of preparedness.
"After criticizing the Obama administration for failing to articulate a clear strategy, the Trump administration has put forth no comprehensive plan for ending this conflict," he wrote. "The Trump administration's earlier move to increase the number of American troops on the ground, together with these strikes, raises serious concerns about the U.S. being dragged into another nation's civil war."
Rep. Kurt Schrader also weighed in, saying: "It is imperative that Assad be removed from power. He has shown himself to be a brutal authoritarian with zero compassion or respect for his own people much less any other nation. His regime's heinous actions and his cruelty towards his own people are intolerable and have to end immediately."
The 5th Congressional District rep also called responses by U.S. allies in the area throughout the Syrian civil war "tepid."
"Our allies in Europe, the region and indeed all humanitarian-concerned nations need to be involved, and we are clearly willing to work with our partners in the region," Schrader wrote.
Oregon leaders' desire to have the president consult Congress for further action in the Middle East isn't new. Last week, Rep. Peter DeFazio led the charge in a campaign urging Trump to pull U.S. troops out of Syria.
"Congress has not authorized the use of force in Syria and there has been no attack on the U.S. where you would have the authority to avoid Congressional consent due to an imminent threat," the 16 lawmakers wrote.
DeFazio reiterated his opposition to Trump acting without Congressional approval Friday.
"We cannot allow ourselves to be led into another open-ended conflict in the Middle East without clear objectives and an exit strategy," he wrote in a statement. "I urge President Trump to immediately consult Congress on his plans for the campaign in Syria, seek Congressional authorization under the War Powers Resolution before any further engagement, and let the American people know our exit strategy."
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, like Blumenauer, called on the Trump Administration to reconsider its continued attempts to ban immigrants and refugees from the country by executive order. She also criticized for what she perceived as a lack of proper planning.
"President Trump's policy on involvement in Syria and in conflicts across the globe has been erratic," Bonamici wrote in a statement. "He must now present a clear plan to Congress and to the American people before moving forward with any other action."
Several other lawmakers and pundits -- both from the right and the left -- are also criticizing the president's previous positions on conflict in the region. In 2013, Trump both urged then-President Obama to seek Congressional approval before taking action in Syria and to stay out of the country altogether.
The president's harshest critics, however, seem to be personalities and readers of far-right outlets. InfoWars' Paul Joseph Watson declared he's "off the Trump train" following Thursday's air strike while Breitbart readers are commenting
"My god - you might as well have elected Hillary. How can he be this stupid?" one Breitbart reader wrote. "Say goodbye to sanity and MAGA."
This story is developing and will be updated.
--Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344
@edercampuzano
ecampuzano@oregonian.com