Discord over Obama’s proposed strike on Syria continues to rise.
Speaking with Wolf Blitzer on CNN’s Newsroom on Wednesday afternoon, Sen. Dan Coats (R., Ind.) expressed his concerns and lack of confidence with the Syria situation, especially the proposed strike.
Coats cited his extensive knowledge gleaned from numerous Senate Intelligence Committee meetings (even a direct discussion with Vice President Joe Biden) and President Obama’s speech last night.
"Plan B isn’t there," Coats said. "We don’t know what’s going to happen if this so-called limited attack…doesn’t work."
He warned that such a strike could possibly lead to the United States’ fourth time engagement in the Middle East to quell tensions.
Coats expressed his sympathy to the thousands who have died in Syria, but also made clear that the United States cannot put itself in such a precarious situation again.
"Our people are war weary but also war wise. We have learned lessons," Coats said.
He said that a lack of information should be reason enough to abstain from an attack and pressed for intelligence that would justify a strike on Syria. He reiterated, "We need different circumstances and more information than we have right now, I think in order to engage."
Coats blamed Obama for the red line, explaining that the line being drawn "might have been more accidental." President Obama likely backed himself into a corner and had no choice but to respond, thus the proposed strike on Syria. Given this predicament, the United States cannot treat each situation with the same solution- each situation is different and thus must be given special consideration.
To add insult to injury, Coats cautioned that Obama will likely not receive enough votes from his own party or Republicans to pass the solution in the Senate.
Not all hope is lost, though.
"If it can be resolved in a constructive way, of course we would support that," he said.