Dem: Asking Congress to approve airstrikes would be ‘circus’

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) on Tuesday said President Obama shouldn’t seek congressional approval to launch airstrikes against Islamic insurgents in Syria because it would be a “circus.”

Cohen praised Obama a year ago for deciding to come to Congress for a vote on proposed military strikes against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime. But he said Obama shouldn’t follow that pattern this year.

“I think it’s different,” Cohen said of the current situation on CNN’s “New Day.” “I support the president’s action. I see no reason to come to Congress because, if he does, it’ll just become a circus.

{mosads}“Congress is dysfunctional, and no matter what the president does, the Republicans would find a way to oppose it and find reason to find fault. There’s no reason to do that,” he added. 

Obama has reportedly authorized surveillance flights over Syria, which could be a precursor to airstrikes against fighters with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The president has so far authorized airstrikes against ISIS only in Iraq. 

On Monday, the White House didn’t commit to asking Congress for approval for airstrikes in Syria, and spokesman Josh Earnest said it’s “a different situation” now compared to last year.

“What we’re talking about now is not about the Assad regime but about this threat that’s posed by [ISIS] that’s operating both in Iraq and in Syria,” he said.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said in a statement released Monday evening that Obama should seek congressional authority for any further military action against ISIS. Kaine is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Senate Armed Services committees.

Earlier this month, Kaine said Obama also needed congressional approval for open-ended military action in Iraq.