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Congressman Hank Johnson releases the following statement after President Trump launches missile attack on Syria

April 7, 2017

The atrocious chemical weapons attack this week was a visceral reminder of the horrors facing the Syrian people caught in this years long civil war.

President Trump's military strike raises several disturbing concerns about this Administration's approach to foreign policy and national security. The policy of brute force is no substitute for rational thinking and the careful consideration of all possible options and consequences.

President Trump's reactive and impulsive actions will not create safer conditions for innocent Syrian civilians and will also risk enflaming what is already an escalating conflagration. It should be noted that since taking office, President Trump has quietly and without Congressional consultation increased American boots on the ground in both Syria and Iraq.

These actions are inconsistent with his long-held position of opposing combat operations in Syria. With these actions, the President has demonstrated that his own words cannot be taken at face value. The Syrian civil war is composed of multiple coalitions and competing interests. Russian, Iranian, and Turkish troops – as well as forces from ISIL, Al-Qaeda, and Hezbollah – fight amidst hundreds of Syrian factions.

This complex conflict requires a thoughtful international approach, not a unilateral military strike. It is for this reason the Administration must come to Congress with a long-term, comprehensive strategy that promotes America's national security interests in the region and protects innocent civilians caught in the cross-fire.