Lawmakers end ‘roller-coaster’ week with war plans shelved

“Nobody wants to feel like they could have done something to prevent the proliferation — and use of — chemical or biological weapons and failed to do it,” he said. “But on the other hand, they know what their constituents are saying. And I don’t care if you’re from a Republican district or a Democratic district, no matter what kind of district you’re from people are against this.”

Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), a high-ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs panel, said the past week had been “tumultuous” because of the administration’s “zig-zagging back and forth.”

“I can’t think of [any week that’s been] similar, and this is my 17th year here,” Chabot said. 

“I don’t think this will ever come back for a vote,” he predicted after President Obama endorsed a Russian proposal to have Syria turn over its chemical weapons to the international community. “If this thing falls apart, the administration says we’re going forward and they bring it back for a vote, it could happen. But in my view I don’t think we’ll ever see a vote in here.”

Even strong backers of U.S. action have shown no desire to bring it back up for a vote if the latest diplomatic proposal fails. 

“Go forward,” Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Tuesday. “We’ll have time to discuss all the rest of it. I don’t believe he needs the authorization.”

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