Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) introduced a House Resolution that would mandate President Joe Biden to remove the U.S. armed forces stationed in Syria. If passed, Biden would have less than 15 days to do so.
America First means actually putting the people of our country first — not the interests of the Military Industrial Complex.
I filed a War Powers Resolution to direct Joe Biden to remove the United States Armed Forces from Syria. The House of https://t.co/eQxvFTdUUH… https://t.co/Yv7QpqUHww
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) February 22, 2023
“Since the invasion of Ukraine, we seem to have turned our attention away from some of America’s entanglement in Syria,” Gaetz told Fox News.
“And the purpose of my legislation is to force members of Congress to vote on record regarding whether they think we ought to continue Obama’s war in Syria. President Obama kicked off our involvement … and now we still find ourselves in the middle of a Syrian civil war with Russia and Turkey and Iran, all present in a very confined neighborhood,” he added.
On Feb. 17, 2023, U.S. commandos killed Hamza al-Homsi, a senior Islamic State militant (ISIS) figure, leaving four American troops and a service dog wounded.
Gaetz, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, claimed that Congress “never” authorized the use of military force in Syria.
“Congress has never authorized the use of military force in Syria. The United States is currently not in a war with or against Syria, so why are we conducting dangerous military operations there?” he said.
“President Biden must remove all U.S. Armed Forces from Syria. America First means actually putting the people of our country first — not the interests of the Military Industrial Complex,” he added.
In August 2021, Biden claimed that the U.S. “does not” have troops in Syria. His comments were lies.
“We don’t have military in Syria to make sure that we’re gonna be protected,” he said at the time.
According to Newsweek, the U.S. has about 900 troops stationed in Syria, who are there to support the “Syrian Democratic Forces” in their battle against ISIS.
Since 2014, the U.S. military has been involved in Syria.
Gaetz’s resolution is pursuant to the War Powers Act of 1973, which limits the president’s ability to initiate military actions abroad. Under the act, presidents must notify Congress after deploying the armed forces. It was enacted to avoid another lengthy conflict such as the Vietnam War.
