US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) greets Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (R) prior to a meeting in Hagel’s office at the Pentagon May 6, 2013 in Arlington, Virginia.<\/p>\n
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel are to ask the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday to support President Obama\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s resolution authorizing military action against Syria.\n<\/p>\n
Testifying to the Senate panel, Kerry is to argue that a Congress vote against Obama\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s request for congressional authorization \u00c5\u201cendangers our friends and our partners along Syria\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s borders.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Kerry will continue his lobbying efforts when he will meet with the House Foreign Affairs Committee and hold a classified briefing with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.\n<\/p>\n
Obama said Saturday he has decided that Washington should launch military strikes against Syria. But he added that he would seek authorization for the attack from Congress when US lawmakers return from recess on September 9.\n<\/p>\n
Republican Sens. McCain (Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (S.C.) have suggested that Obama could be after a more ambitious military action against Syria than a two- or three-day limited bombing campaign, according to The Hill. The two Republican hawks had emerged from a Monday meeting with President Obama at the White House.\n<\/p>\n
Officials familiar with the meeting said the US has already started arming and training the foreign-backed militants who are fighting against the Syrian government and Obama hopes the \u00c5\u201ccovert effort\u201d would \u00c5\u201cyield results\u201d after Washington launches strikes against the Middle Eastern country.\n<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, some US congressmen and members of the US military have warned against the consequences of a possible US military attack on Syria.\n<\/p>\n
Noam Chomsky, the prominent American antiwar activist and author, told the Huffington Post<\/i> in an email that a US-led attack on Syria without a United Nations mandate would be a war crime regardless of whether Congress approves such a measure or not.\n<\/p>\n
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