Colorado's congressional delegation hasn't been silent on the Syrian airstrikes conducted by a U.S.-led coalition Friday night. The strikes drew criticism from some and praise from others, though there was one thing Republicans and Democrats agreed upon 鈥� the heinousness of reported chemical weapons attacks conducted by the Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad.
Here's a roundup of statements and tweets from your Colorado senators and representatives.
Republican Sen. Cory Gardner, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee :
The use of chemical weapons on civilians, including children, is one of the most abhorrent acts imaginable, and the United States and its allies cannot sit back and allow it to continue. The precision targeting of military targets are needed in the fight of good versus evil, a fight of the United States versus the dark edge of humanity.
These latest actions need to be part of a comprehensive strategy that secure lasting peace in Syria. We must continue to build a coalition of allies and partners in the region that share our goal of protecting the innocent people being harmed in Syria by this monstrous regime.
Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet tweeted his response to the airstrikes:
The decision to use military force against the Syrian government must be made in pursuit of a comprehensive objective and with authorization from Congress.
— Michael Bennet (@SenatorBennet)
Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, issued :
Bashar al Assad's use of chemical weapons on innocent men, women, and children is beyond horrific and will not be tolerated. While the recent action by the United States and our allies was necessary, I do believe that any expanded action by the United States military in Syria must be considered by Congress first.
Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Aurora, sent the following tweet:
A red line has been crossed with Assad's use of chemical weapons against innocent civilians. If there is not a credible response, it will hurt our ability to negotiate with North Korea and Iran to give up their WMD鈥檚.
— Mike Coffman (@RepMikeCoffman)
Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Lakewood, also sent out a statement through Twitter:
The use of nerve gas is a war crime of immense proportion. I support targeted military strikes in Syria, but if there is a major military effort, the President needs to come to Congress.
— Rep. Ed Perlmutter (@RepPerlmutter)
Editor's Note: This post will be updated as additional responses by Colorado's Washington D.C. delegation are released.
