Grayson on Syria: "We Have Our Own Problems To Deal With"

[Alan Grayson]

As we head toward a Congressional vote on a U.S. military attack on Syria, Sunday was a national TV doubleheader for Congressman Alan Grayson - he argued forcefully against war on both CNN and MSNBC. Here is what he said on MSNBC:

MSNBC's Alex Witt: Joining me right now is Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee. Representative Grayson, thank you for being here.

Congressman Alan Grayson: Yes, thank you for having me.

Alex: So you've been very vocal, sir, in your opposition to any kind of intervention [in Syria]. What is your argument against this?

Alan: Well first, it's not our responsibility. Secondly, whatever we do won't actually accomplish anything useful. Third, it's expensive. And fourth, it's dangerous.

Alex: Okay. You're pretty definitive in that. How much pushback are you getting from any of your constituents, or from fellows in the House?

Alan: None. My position is actually the popular position here [in Orlando]. We set up a website called DontAttackSyria.com, and within less than 24 hours, we had 10,000 signatures in our petition to the President against this action. The polls now show, and will continue to show, that Americans understand that this is simply not our responsibility. We are only one country out of 196. We have our own problems to deal with. We are not the world's policeman, nor are we the world's judge, jury, and executioner.

Alex: All right. I'm curious if there's any debate on this though, in your mind, because you have said that you don't even think it's clear a chemical attack occurred. Now, Doctors Without Borders, which is a completely impartial group, says that its partners have treated 3600 people with chemical weapons symptoms. Do you not believe them?

Alan: You're misquoting me, and quoting me out of context. I said that several days ago, before that evidence came in.

Alex: Okay, so where do you stand on it now?

Alan: Now I think that there is substantial evidence that there was a chemical attack. That doesn't change my mind about anything that I said, though. I still think that it's not our responsibility, that it's expensive and dangerous, and that our attack won't do any good. I have yet to hear anybody explain to me why our attacking Syria will take away their ability to commit such an attack in the future.

Alex: Do you question, sir, the President saying that this is a threat to our national security, the use of chemical weapons in Syria?

Alan: Absolutely. We haven't been attacked at all. Not a single American has been attacked during the course of the Syrian War, and I think that Americans understand that. Let's tend our own garden.

Alex: Okay. Then what about our allies? What about Jordan?

Alan: They haven't been attacked.

Alex: Turkey?

Alan: They haven't been attacked.

Alex: Israel?

Alan: They haven't been attacked, either.

Alex: What if they were to be attacked?

Alan: Oh, if they were, then that's an entirely different story. Turkey is a member of NATO. We have collective responsibilities with Turkey. If Turkey were to be attacked by Syria, then we would have to act under our NATO treaty. That's not this situation.

Alex: Would you feel better if the U.N. weapons inspectors come back with a report confirming, as anticipated, the use of chemical weapons in the region, and were able to point (even though this isn't their mandate) or if others were able to find proof to point to President Assad's regime as those being the ones who launched this chemical attack, would that change your mind at all?

Alan: No. What would change my mind is somebody explaining to me what the heck this has to do with us.

Alex: Well the President spoke directly to you and your colleagues yesterday. Let's take a listen.

[center]--begin clip of President Obama--[/center]
President Barack Obama: Here's my question for every Member of Congress and every member of the global community: What message will we send if a dictator can gas hundreds of children to death in plain sight and pay no price? What's the purpose of the international system that we've built if a prohibition on the use of chemical weapons that has been agreed to by the governments of 98 percent of the world's people and approved overwhelmingly by the Congress of the United States is not enforced?
[center]--end clip of President Obama--[/center]
Alex: So what's your response to that?

Alan: Well first of all, not a single other country feels that way. Just a few days ago we had the British Parliament reject that argument.

Alex: France does, I believe.

Alan: Well no, France is saying, "We'll wait and see." So that's not the case at all. How is it that this is always our responsibility? And by the way, the treaty that the President is citing says that in case of violations of that treaty, you take the violators to the International Court of the Hague; you don't just bomb them.

Alex: Okay. Representative Alan Grayson, thank you for your time.

Alan: You're welcome.

Congressman Alan Grayson - you know where he stands. If you want to make your voice heard, then join our petition at www.DontAttackSyria.com. Tell your friends and neighbors, too. Time is running out.

[corkhead]

1. Thanks for being a voice of reason Mr. Grayson

[blm]

2. I do agree to a point, but, I believe you were very unfair to Kerry.

Anyone paying attention to the last 8 years of our issues in Syria would know that Kerry was the lone lawmaker who actually put his ass on the line in 2005 to engage Assad personally in order to avoid the push for war against Syria then. He worked towards diplomatic solutions for 8 years. Kerry was ALWAYS the lone voice working against the invasion of Syria wanted by war hawks and neocons. I didn't see a great rush from any Dem or GOP lawmakers over the last 8years to support his diplomatic efforts there, either.

It's been known since shortly after Arab Spring that Assad was beginning to lose his grip on reality. Granted, any Arab leader had reason to be paranoid, but, Assad lost his grip by last year. It's no surprise his brother was discovered to be the one who directed the chemical attack.

When a lawmaker like YOU fails to put Kerry's remarks in the context of his 8 year effort there to prevent war, it matters. You give comfort to those claiming that Obama and Kerry are acting no differently on Syria than Bush did on Iraq. As if Bush even spent 8 days on diplomatic solutions in Iraq, let alone the 8 years that Kerry personally engaged Assad in Syria.

I think you have a responsibility to everyone, including those with a variant view of the Syrian situation, to get the historic facts straight,and, especially in regard to fellow Dem lawmakers you KNOW have not been manufacturing intel and evidence the way Bush did.

[daleanime]

3. But the people will love us.....

if we just kill a few more thousand.





Oh and just in case I actually need it.

[Myrina]

4. Agreed, sir, and thank you for speaking up.

[bigdarryl]

5. Grayson 2016!!!!

I would vote for him in a heart beat over Corporate democrat Hillary

[apnu]

6. Awesome, great response

You're one of the best Alan.

[hollowdweller]

7. He was great on the News Hour this evening

He basically refused to be moved off track and brushed off concerns about how it might make Obama look or the US look as irrelevant. He was great. Loved his peace sign tie too.

[Whisp]

8. all those links go to a Donation page.

That's a bit of bad form, isn't it? Making money off of this situation?

[TheKentuckian]

9. Good job, Congressman Grayson.

[Jeneral2885]

10. Not to say he isnt wrong

But the US had it's own problems in many other conflicts before

[JRLeft]

11. You are my favorite congress person next to Barbara Lee.