Glad to hear Senator Mark Pryor (D. AR) say this:
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/...
The decision to use military force is one of the gravest responsibilities Members of Congress face, and it is one that I take very seriously. I have heard presentations and testimonies from the Administration on their case for military action, have read and studied the text of the authorization for the use of military force that will come before the Senate next week, and have listened to the concerns of thousands of Arkansans as I have traveled the state.
I have said, before any military action in Syria is taken, the Administration must prove a compelling national security interest, clearly define a mission that has a definitive end-state, and then build a true coalition of allies that would actively participate in any action we take. Based on the information presented to me and the evidence I have gathered, I do not believe these criteria have been met, and I cannot support military action against Syria at this time. - Senator Mark Pryor (D. AR), TPM, 9/7/13
Not only is this good news but it also highlights how important Pryor's re-election is next year:
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/...
Pryor's stance puts him not only at odds with the Obama administration, but also Republican rival and U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton. Cotton has emerged as one of the most vocal advocates for taking action against Syria and has warned that not approving the request would weaken the presidency in the eyes of other nations.
Pryor's decision complicates what already appeared to be an uphill battle in convincing a war-weary Congress to back the resolution. A survey by the AP shows House members staking out positions are either opposed to or leaning against President Barack Obama's plan for a U.S. military strike against Syria by more than a 6-1 margin. The Senate is more evenly divided ahead of its vote next week.
Still, the situation is very fluid. Nearly half of the 433-member House and a third of the 100-member Senate remain undecided.
Arkansas' other three Republican congressmen and Republican Sen. John Boozman have all said they're likely to oppose the request.
The Syria vote has injected foreign policy into a Senate race that many had expected to hinge on domestic issues like health care. Republicans view Pryor as the most vulnerable Senate incumbent running next year, and they believe they're poised to unseat Pryor by tying the lawmaker to Obama and his signature health care overhaul.
Pryor said the Senate race and Cotton's support for military action didn't factor into his decision to oppose intervention. - Arkansas Business, 9/7/13
Pryor joins his colleagues, Senators Joe Manchin (D. WV), Chris Murphy (D. CT), Brian Schatz (D. HI) and Tom Udall (D. NM) in vocally opposing military action against Syria. Pryor's opponent, Congressman Tom Cotton (R. AR), is all for military action:
http://www.politico.com/...
Cotton is among the few House Republicans to publicly back Obama’s proposed action in Syria, citing the need to uphold an “international taboo” on chemical weapon use, reassure allies in the Middle East such as Israel and Jordan and uphold U.S. credibility overseas.
“Put simply, our core national-security interests are at stake,” Cotton said this week. “I share concerns that the president won’t execute a strategically sound military campaign. Nevertheless, I believe that U.S. inaction would still be a worse outcome for our national-security interests.” - Politico, 9/7/13
Please continue to contact your Congressman and Senator and let them know you oppose military action against Syria:
Senate: http://www.senate.gov/
House: http://house.gov/
Pryor's stance against military action against Syria emphasizes why this race is important. You may not like or agree with Pryor on everything but the big issues like this show why people like Tom Cotton cannot be elected next year. Please do consider donating to Pryor's 2014 re-election campaign:
https://pryorforsenatesec.ngpvanhost.com/...