[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13214]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        MILITARY ACTION IN SYRIA

  (Mr. HOLDING asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HOLDING. Madam Speaker, before I returned to Washington last 
week, I was skeptical of the President's proposal for military action 
in Syria. After classified briefings and hearing directly from 
Secretaries Kerry and Hagel, I am more skeptical than ever.
  This administration has done nothing to convince me and the American 
people that they have a focused, effective plan for military action in 
Syria, or really any true plan at all. These strikes, like the 
administration's Middle East policy of the last 4\1/2\ years, lack 
coherence and fail to support a long-term strategy.
  Additionally, they have not adequately considered the risk of 
retaliation from Assad's allies, Russia and Hezbollah.
  Madam Speaker, the test of a successful foreign policy is that our 
friends trust us and our enemies fear us. President Obama has failed in 
this regard, and a military strike will fail to benefit the United 
States' broader strategy or international interests.

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