The U.S. Senate gave its approval Thursday night to President Barack Obama’s plan to arm and train Syrian forces in their fight against the terrorist group known as ISIS.
Both of Vermont’s Senators voted against the plan.
Sen. Bernie Sanders said he couldn’t support the President’s plan because he fears that it will eventually lead to the deployment of U.S. troops in Syria.
“I worry very much that getting involved in that area could open the door to the United States once again being involved in a quagmire, being involved in perpetual warfare," Sanders said.
Sanders said ISIS will be defeated only when the other countries in the Middle East form a joint coalition to provide the military power to defeat the terrorist group.
But Sanders said he sees no evidence that this kind of coalition is being built.
“They cannot stand aside. They cannot say, 'Hey, go for it United States. Thank you American taxpayers but we in Saudi Arabia – we don’t want our young people involved in this war, we don’t want our airplanes involved in the attacks,'" Sanders said.
Meanwhile, in a written statement, Sen. Patrick Leahy said he’s not convinced that the President’s plan to intervene in Syria can succeed.
The legislation gives President Obama the authorization to arm and train Syrian forces until the middle of December. Congress is expected to consider a long term approach to this issue sometime after the November elections.
