Dem leader Pelosi endorses Syria attack

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) endorsed military action against Syria following a briefing with senior Obama administration officials Thursday evening.

“What Assad has done is outside the realm of basic human rights,” Pelosi said in a statement issued after the 90-minute call. “On this evening’s call, I expressed my appreciation for the measured, targeted and limited approach the President may be considering.”

The comments go further than Pelosi’s previous statement from two days ago, when she called the Assad regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons a “clear violation of any moral standard” and said lawmakers “stand ready to consult with President Obama to consider the appropriate course of action in response to these acts of brutality.”

{mosads}More than 25 lawmakers, including Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and the leaders of the House and Senate national security panels were on Thursday’s 90-minute call, according to the White House. They were briefed by National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Sandy Winnefeld. 

“On the call, I agreed with Speaker Boehner and other Members who stated that there needs to be more consultation with all Members of Congress and additional transparency into the decision making process and timing, and that the case needs to be made to the American people,” Pelosi said. 

“It is clear that the American people are weary of war,” she said. “However, Assad gassing his own people is an issue of our national security, regional stability and global security. We must be clear that the United States rejects the use of chemical weapons by Assad or any other regime.”

She said the administration officials assured lawmakers that there would “ongoing consultation with Congress” before the president commits to a course of action.

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