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DPCC Co-Chair David Cicilline Discusses Syria Air Strikes with MSNBC's Ali Velshi

April 14, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman David Cicilline, Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy & Communications Committee (DPCC), today joined MSNBC's Ali Velshi to discuss the escalating tensions between Russia and the United States following the missile strikes in Syria and the need for Congressional scrutiny of President Trump's military plans. Below are excerpts from the interview and a link to the video:

Click here to watch the video.

"The President has the responsibility to actually have a plan, a strategy, a mission for the U.S. response to Syria and to figure out the role the United States will play in helping to end this conflict. This notion of an air strike is not a substitute for a policy…The administration seems to have conflicting views. Secretary Tillerson saying it is up to the Syrian people to decide whether Assad remains. You have Ambassador Haley saying there is no way that Assad can remain in the future of Syria. There needs to be not only consistency but a well thought out plan for the U.S. response to Syria. I think what we saw was a one off strike..."

"If the plan includes the use of military force, the President needs to come to Congress, seek an authorization and receive that…I don't think the President has articulated with any clarity what the plan is…and now we see our adversaries in the region joining together to condemn [the stike]."

"[North Korea] is a nuclear power that has, by best estimates, between six and sixteen nuclear bombs and they are attempting to develop a capacity to deliver those by intercontinental ballistic missile systems…A preemptive strike, if it were to happen, is likely to ignite a very serious conflict, a war, and maybe even a nuclear war…The appropriate course is to reduce the rhetoric and try to deescalate."

"We have to be sure the President understands the implications of this type of military action…he got a political bump from the Syria air strike [and] from the mother of all bombs strike in Afghanistan. We don't want the President to be making decisions – where he thinks more bombs are the way to build up his popularity – but rather he's making decisions based on the national security interests of the United States and the long term safety and security of the American people."