Senator Reid Hits the Pause Button on "9/11" Senate Vote on Syria Attack

[KoKo]

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hit the pause button Monday on the Senate debate over Syria by delaying the first test vote on the resolution authorizing the use of military force.

“I don’t think we need to see how fast we can do this,” Reid said on the Senate floor Monday. “I’m not going to file cloture this evening on the motion to proceed to the Syria resolution.”

Earlier in the day, Reid indicated the first procedural vote would occur on Wednesday.

The delay comes one day before President Obama is set to court Senators on Capitol Hill when he speaks at the weekly Democratic and Republican lunches. The president is also set to take his argument to the public in an address to the nation Tuesday night.

But a growing chorus of senators came out Monday in opposition of the president’s request to authorize a military strike against Syria. Six senators announced they would vote against the resolution authorizing the use of force in Syria, including Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., who became the sixth Democratic senator to oppose the president on the issue.

Three Democratic senators — Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., and Bob Casey, D-Pa. — said Monday that they would support the president’s request. But at least one senator who previously backed the use of force in Syria in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said he remained concerned about the use of military force.

“I voted yes in the committee but I have concerns about action. Right now we need to deal with #Syria via diplomacy if possible,” Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., tweeted Monday. A spokeswoman for Cardin said Cardin still supports the resolution.

As senators still weigh whether they will support the president’s request, the White House is considering a proposal suggested by the Russian Foreign Minister to avert military strikes if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad agrees to hand over its chemical weapons stockpile to international control.

In an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer, President Obama said a military strike against Syria would “absolutely” be on pause if Assad turns over his chemical weapons.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/09/senate-delays-test-vote-on-syria/

[forestpath]

1. Who knew Cardin was so good at talking out of both sides of his mouth.

What a fucking phoney.

[KoKo]

2. I know..I thought that was "interesting" too.. Double Talker! n/t

[winter is coming]

3. “I don’t think we need to see how fast we can do this.”

Translation: I'm not sure we have the votes.