Military Veterans Decry President's Syria Rhetoric

Washington – Military veteran Members of Congress, including Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05), Rep. Bobby Rush (IL-01), Rep. Bill Pascrell (NJ-09), Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-33), Rep Seth Moulton (MA-06), Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24), and Rep Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) released the following joint statement in reaction to the president's public and social media discussion of military strategy in response to the apparent chemical attack in Syria over the weekend.

"As military veterans, we are profoundly concerned about the president's reckless use of Twitter and other public forums to discuss the use of military force in Syria. Pictures from Douma this weekend again shocked our entire world, and we must consider action purposefully and deliberately. Yet the president continues to use taunting and flippant language both on Twitter and in public to discuss pulling troops out of Syria before the attack and in considering the use of force in retaliation.

"We have looked the horrors of war head on and we know that launching missiles is a serious matter. We know that the president's strategy is reckless and irresponsible, and that it endangers our men and women serving in uniform. We urge him to stop issuing these public provocations immediately."

Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5^th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a Vietnam War veteran and senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force as well as the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.