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Syria: Obama gaining support for military strike
Republicans face a strain of isolationist and libertarian sentiment roiling a party still working through the political trauma of the Iraq war. Many establishment Republicans have already been knocked off their perches by “Tea Party” candidates who have challenged them from their right in nominating contests.
Anti-war liberal Democrats meanwhile are making unlikely common cause with conservatives like Senator Rand Paul, who oppose US military action.
Hawks like Republican senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain meanwhile demand a more robust effort than the “limited” strikes Obama has proposed and want to escalate US military aid to the Syrian opposition.
This splintering of party lines is complicating efforts to build a coalition behind action in Syria. But one White House official predicted sufficient support would emerge between the extremes.
National Security Advisor Susan Rice told reporters that she was “quite confident” that the administration would prevail. Another official admitted privately that the White House “will lose some Democrats” meaning that significant numbers of Republicans will be needed not just in the House, but in the Democratic-run Senate to get the bill through.
Reliable vote counts are not yet available, as hearings on the authorization, featuring a passionate Secretary of State John Kerry take place on Capitol Hill.
But a top House Democrat, Chris Van Hollen, when asked by CNN Wednesday whether a war resolution could get through the chamber, replied: “I don’t think anybody knows right now.” A Democratic House aide added: “There will have to be significant votes on both sides of the aisle.”
