SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Many lawmakers are responding today to U.S. airstrikes on Syria last night. We're joined now by Tom Cole, Republican from Oklahoma. Mr. Cole, thanks so much for being with us.
TOM COLE: Hey, Scott. Thanks for having me.
SIMON: Should the president have informed members of Congress beforehand?
COLE: I think we had a pretty good idea it was coming. The president made it very clear there would be an appropriate response. So I don't think anybody feels flat-footed. And I think you look at this particular situation. We had an agreement with the Russians. They were supposed to make sure Syria had gotten rid of all their chemical weapons. They haven't. President Obama famously drew a red line - the second time that President Trump has enforced that line.
SIMON: Should the president have gotten Congress's approval?
COLE: To me, I don't think he requires that in this case on what is clearly a, you know, specific response to a specific action. Again, I think the agreement that the United States and Russia had was such that once it was violated, he was free to act. The larger issue of, do we need a new authorization for the use of military force? I think we do. But I don't think this is the kind of case that would call for that.
SIMON: Do you believe that Congress has turned away from the plight in Syria and ought to become more involved in trying to shape U.S. policy?
COLE: I do think it ought to be more involved in that. And Syria's a tricky problem because, the president pointed out, we don't have any direct national security interests there. We have a humanitarian interest. And our real security interest is what the administration laid out. And that's getting rid of ISIS. And we don't like the Assad regime. I wish there were another one in its place, but I don't think just taking out the Assad regime is something that I would spend American blood and treasure on.
SIMON: This morning, President Trump tweeted his support of the U.S., British and French military and wound up this tweet by saying mission accomplished. You probably remember the history those words have, right?
COLE: (Laughter) It's a pretty famous phrase now, yeah.
SIMON: And of course President Bush - George W. Bush - said that and the conflict in Iraq is unresolved, and it's become very unpopular among Americans. So was the president just ill-advised in his choice of words? What does that set off in your mind?
COLE: I think maybe we're probably a little bit too burned by that phrase. I think the president's meeting was clear - appropriate response for what was done. And, you know, he did - he made it very clear this isn't about getting involved in the Syrian civil war. It isn't about changing, as much as we would like it to change, the Syrian regime. It's about establishing international norms and making sure that if somebody uses chemical weapons, there's an appropriate response. And hopefully, the next time, they'll think about it again.
SIMON: Does the president - let me put it this way in the minute we have left - does the president have the moral standing to lead on issues, given all the controversy in his administration right now?
COLE: I think any American president has the moral standing to lead on this issue. We have - we don't use chemical weapons. Multiple presidents of both parties for many years have made it apparent that that's an appropriate thing. And I think any president's act in this case would have been the right action.
SIMON: Well, thank you very much for being with us, Tom Cole of Oklahoma. Always good to have you.
COLE: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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