North Texas Politicians React to U.S. Strikes on Syria

The response from political leaders in North Texas to the U.S. military's strikes on a Syrian air base has been largely supportive across party lines.

Still, there are questions about consulting Congress before taking such action and what is next.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX):

"I'm glad to see President Trump take action against this butcher, Bashar al-Assad, who has killed 400,000 of his own people and has now used chemical weapons in violation of international law against his own people, including these innocent children. But this is perhaps the easiest part. The hard part now comes by United States Congress engaging with the White House in a conversation about exactly what should our policy be, and how do we devise a strategy where we know how this will end. That's the hard part, as we've seen from the conflicts we've been involved with in Iraq and Afghanistan. How does this end?"

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX):

"Today, after eight years of Obama foreign policy failures, Syria is a humanitarian disaster. Bashar al-Assad is a monster, a puppet of Russia and Iran, and he has once again used chemical weapons against his own citizens, murdering innocent men, women, and children.

"Our prayers are with Assad's victims, and with the victims of the ISIS and al Qaeda terrorists ripping Syria apart. And, as always, our support and prayers are with the brave Americans in uniform who carried out the military strike tonight.

"Any military action in Syria must be justified as protecting the vital national security interests of America – including decisive action to prevent chemical weapons from falling into the hands of radical Islamic terrorists – and I look forward to our Commander-in-Chief making the case to Congress and the American people how we should do so in the days ahead."

U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Dallas):

"Yesterday, the President made it clear that we will not stand idly by while Bashar al-Assad barbarically uses chemical weapons to take the lives of innocent men, women and children. President Trump's decision to launch a targeted airstrike on the airfield where Assad launched the deadly chemical attack on Monday shows a strength and responsibility that we have not seen in eight years. While the complexity of the situation in Syria grows daily, I believe this is a solid first step, and I look forward to working with the president and my colleagues in Congress to hold the Assad regime accountable for its heinous actions."

U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth):

"The world was shaken by the images that resulted from Bashar al-Assad's latest chemical attack against his own people. Despite my support for the goals of last night's airstrike, the crisis in Syria will not be resolved by one night of airstrikes. It is imperative that President Trump consults with Congress about the long-term strategy in Syria, the repercussions of last night's actions and any future planned military operations. With last night's actions, it is urgent that Congress debate the need to update the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to reflect the global threats abroad. When Congress enacted AUMF in 2001, the world was not operating under the threat of ISIS, Russia's aggression in Europe, provocations by North Korea and violations of missile treaties. That is why Congress must now debate how these new realities will shape any updated authorizations for future military actions."

U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Rockwall):

"The Assad regime's horrific attack on innocent civilians earlier this week was in complete defiance of international law barring the use of chemical weapons. I applaud President Trump for his decision to call for a military strike on the airfield where this chemical attack was launched. His action was an appropriate, direct and proportional response to this heinous assault on innocent life. Through his decisive action, the president has signaled a clear departure from the many years of failed policies that have allowed for further destabilization in the Middle East. As a Member of Congress, I will stay actively engaged as we move forward with the Trump administration in addressing any further involvement in Syria."

U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Dallas):

"On April 6, 2017, without the authorization of Congress, President Trump ordered airstrikes in Syria as a response to the recent horrific use of chemical weapons by Bashar al-Assad. Although the United States does not support the actions and treatment of Bashar al-Assad, President Trump and his Administration must first consult with Congress to develop a comprehensive strategy that clearly states the United States' intent in interactions with Syria. We have a larger issue that needs to be addressed and one night of attacks does not end the continuous troubles seen in Syria.

"The Administration needs to work with Congress in finding a solution to handle the humanitarian crisis that continues to devastate Syria and find a way to protect the Syrian people from continuous violence. Our country should not force an escalated situation by putting innocent lives at risk."

U.S. Rep. Roger Williams (R-Austin):

"Over the past six years the United States stood by hoping the conflict in Syria would somehow resolve itself. Redlines were crossed and still, action was never taken – the most powerful nation in the world refused to show leadership. Last night, President Trump responded swiftly to a heinous and illegal act of cowardice and evil by President Assad. I support this emergency response. Now that we have sent a message to the world, if President Trump has a long term strategy he should come before Congress before any additional military action is taken."