Congress probes US, Russia face-off in Syria
A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of Nov. 2.
Congress delves into the end-game in Syria this coming week as the deployment of US special forces raises fresh questions about a potential clash with Russia.
The White House announced Oct. 30 that it was deploying several dozen troops to Syria as Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian and Iranian officials in Vienna. The announcement was met with derision from hawkish Republicans for its relatively small scale while many Democrats warned of mission creep and demanded a vote on the matter.
"A more serious effort against ISIS [Islamic State] in Syria is long overdue. Absent a larger coherent strategy, however, these steps may prove to be too little too late," House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said in a statement Oct. 30. "I do not see a strategy for success, rather it seems the Administration is trying to avoid a disaster while the President runs out the clock."
Thornberry has promised hearings on the issue, although none are scheduled for this coming week. The deployment is likely to be a topic of debate however, as the House and Senate rejigger the annual defense authorization bill, which President Barack Obama vetoed this past week.
