THE SYRIAN CRISIS; Congressional Record Vol. 159, No. 118

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THE SYRIAN CRISIS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from

Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) for 5 minutes.

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I'd like to thank President Obama for his

considered judgment in the matter of Syria, and for not headstrong

rushing the United States to military action.

I thank him for his consultations with Members of Congress in both

Chambers, and for allowing the American people time to express their

views. We must all weigh the consequences and repercussions of

unilateral U.S. action.

As the world's greatest military power, we must employ our power

wisely, and only with good measure. I have every confidence that our

U.S. military can perform any task to which they are ordered

successfully, and we owe them our deepest respect and gratitude.

I also want to thank and acknowledge the government of Russia for

early reports we are learning about regarding discussions under way to

rid Syria of weapons caches of danger both to Syria as well as our

global community.

Both Russia and the United States, as the world's premier nuclear

powers, hold awesome responsibilities to move our world to a more

peaceful and stable posture. Surely, we must focus that effort on the

very unstable set of states across the Middle East.

Russia and our country both have suffered from terrorist attacks and

well understand the consequences of unresolved conflict and terrorists

preying on unstable states.

My hope is that the Russian initiative gains momentum. And let all

nations of goodwill on our globe find a way forward to address the

tragic consequences of the Syrian civil war, starting with greater

humanitarian assistance to refugees that have flowed into adjoining

nations like Jordan and Lebanon and Turkey, straining some of those

nations' abilities to even hold their own internal affairs together.

Surely, our world can better address the human suffering that is

evident to anyone who's paying attention. Surely, surely, all

reasonable world leaders can find a better way forward for Syria and

for us all.

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