Unanimous Consent Request--H.J. Res. 77

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PAUL. If Democrats want to send our young men and women to fight in the Syrian civil war, let's have that debate. By all means, let's have a constitutional debate today on the Senate floor, right here, right now. If Democrats are so hungry for war, let's have that debate.

Our Founding Fathers gave us a constitutional method to go to war. If there be a national security interest in Syria, let's hear it. The other side does not want that debate. They want to lob invectives at the President, but they aren't prepared to debate about whom we are to go to war against.

Do they wish to declare war on our NATO ally, Turkey? Do they wish to declare war on our former ally, the Free Syrian Army? Do they wish to declare war on Syria's Assad? They don't know.

No, Democrats just want to heap abuse on the President. They don't want to debate war because they have no clue on whom to declare war.

In reality, the President made the wise decision to move 50 soldiers out of the way of tens of thousands of Turkish troops. Ironically, the President's decision may finally allow the Kurds to negotiate with Assad for a semiautonomous region in northern Syria. Perhaps, if the Kurds pledge their battle-proven fighters to Assad, they might receive in exchange some autonomy and a share of the oil receipts, much as the Kurds did in Iraq. Already we are seeing promising cooperation between the Kurds and Assad.

This week, Turkey's Erdogan met with Putin. Putin already is allied with Assad. There is a possibility diplomacy may actually break through here. There is a real chance that the Syrian civil war could come to an end if Assad, with the Kurds' help, would agree to secure the border and not allow Kurdish raids into Turkey.

The permanent war caucus on both sides of the aisle claims that repositioning 50 troops is the end of the world. Perhaps, just maybe, less of our presence in Syria will actually lead to diplomacy and, ultimately, peace. Only time will tell.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PAUL. Madam President, if our goal is to create a Kurdish homeland and to defend it for them, hell yes, we need a debate and a vote and an authorization of force.

You can't just say that we are going to stay there forever. It would take tens of thousands of troops if you want to pacify Syria. It has not been pacified for 8 years. It is an utter and complete mess, and it is time we get the hell out.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source