Should the U.S. Launch a Military Strike Against Syria?

While most Americans celebrated the Labor Day holiday weekend with time away from their jobs, President Barack Obama and top aides were hard at work in an attempt to convince a skeptical American public and political leaders that military action against Syria is warranted. 

The U.S. asserts Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used deadly sarin gas to kill hundreds of his own people on Aug. 21. President Obama had already said he intended to strike Syria in reprisal for the attack, but, over the weekend, announced he would ask Congress to "send a message to the world that we are ready to move forward as one nation."


Though the incident provoked international condemnation, worldwide support for military action has been scant. To date, France is the only major European country in favor of striking Syria, but the Washington Post reports French President Francois Hollande has indicated he too will seek approval of top lawmakers before commencing action. Britain, one of the U.S.'s staunchest allies, rejected military action against Syria in a parliamentary vote last week. 

In an Aug. 31 address from the White House, President Obama laid out his reasons for taking action calling the alleged Aug. 21 gas attack "the worst chemical weapons attack of the 21st century."

According to President Obama, the attack is "an assault on human dignity," presents a "serious danger" to national security, endangers U.S. allies and partners near Syria including Israel and "could lead to escalating use of chemical weapons, or their proliferation to terrorist groups who would do our people harm."

In the speech, posted in its entirety on the White House website, President Obama said he was comfortable going forward without the approval of "a United Nations Security Council that, so far, has been completely paralyzed and unwilling to hold Assad accountable" and asked, "What message will we send if a dictator can gas hundreds of children to death in plain sight and pay no price?" 

About 100 members of Congress returned to Washington over the weekend to be briefed on the crisis. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle continue to question the rationale for the strike, but CBS reports President Obama did secure the support of key Republican leaders Sens. Lindsey Graham and John McCain, both of whom have promised to sell the President's plan to colleagues.

"A rejection of that, a vote against that resolution by Congress, I think, would be catastrophic because it would undermine the credibility of the United States of America and the president of the United States," McCain said according to the CBS report. "None of us want that."

Any military action is likely to be delayed until the week of Sept. 9 when Congress returns from recess, Fox News reported. 

Do you believe the U.S. should take military action against Syria? Has President Obama made a compelling enough case for striking the Assad regime? Do you believe any action should be U.N.-sanctioned? What course of action do you think would be best under the circumstances? Let us know in the comments.