Herb Jackson

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No one in the delegation condemned the air strikes, and many praised them.

Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-Ocean County, said the strike sent “an important message that America will not stay silent and allow this type of evil to exist in the world.”

The Reformed Church of Highland Park is one Central Jersey location which has taken in Syrian refugees

Sen. Bob Menendez was alone in arguing for tougher sanctions on Russia and Rep. Bill Pascrell urged a reversal in the administration’s anti-refugee policy.

But one thing nearly every New Jersey member of Congress wanted Friday was information about what President Donald Trump’s strategy on Syria will be following the launch of airstrikes in retaliation for a chemical attack by Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.

“History has shown the dire consequences of military engagement without a clear plan or strategy,” Sen. Cory Booker said. “Any escalation in our engagement in the continuing conflict in Syria demands that the president put forth a clear plan.”

Not doing that, said Booker, D-Newark, “would create more instability and put lives at risk.”

No one in the delegation condemned the air strikes, and many praised them. Several Republicans drew distinctions to President Barack Obama, who asked Congress for authorization to bomb Syria in 2013 and then did not do so.

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“The United States must no longer lead from behind,” said Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-Atlantic County.

Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-Ocean County, said the strike sent “an important message that America will not stay silent and allow this type of evil to exist in the world.”

There was also bipartisan support for the administration to come before Congress and say more about what comes next.

“The administration must engage Congress in a resolution in accordance with war powers and Constitutional responsibilities,” said Rep. Leonard Lance, R-Hunterdon County. “Further actions should be debated in Congress.”

The War Powers Act, a post-Vietnam law adopted in 1973, authorizes a president to use the military to defend United States interests, but requires congressional approval if engagements go longer than 90 days. Congress has balked, however, at taking a vote to authorize the ongoing battle in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State, with many lawmakers saying that authorizations passed in 2001 and 2003 for the wars against al-Qaida in Iraq and Afghanistan still apply.

Pascrell, D-Paterson, has sponsored legislation to expand the number of refugees admitted into the country even as Trump tried to implement a temporary ban. After the attacks, he seized on Trump’s reaction to the use of nerve gas on children, in which he said, “No child of God should ever suffer such horror.”

“I have no reason to believe he’s not sincere about it, but if the president is sincerely concerned and moved by what has happened, why can he look at Syrian refugees who come with nothing but the clothes on their backs and turn them way?” Pascrell said.

“There’s no question the Syrian government needed a missile up their nose to get them to pay attention and realize the rest of the world is looking at these heinous acts that are happening,” Pascrell said. “But the fact of the matter is this is a humanitarian crisis and it’s not just a crisis we saw in some pictures a few days ago.”

Menendez, D-Paramus, called the nerve gas attack “a crime against humanity” but said the United States had to do more than launch one volley of missiles at an airfield that can be rebuilt.

Menendez was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2013 when it passed an authorization to use military force against Syria in response to a chemical attack by Assad’s forces at that time. That authorization was used by Obama to get Russia to intervene and convince Assad to give up what were believed to be all of his chemical weapons.

Menendez said Russia needs to answer for how Assad was still able to use such weapons, and Trump’s policy has to address how Russia and Iran continue to support Assad’s regime.

“President Trump must also be prepared to address Russia’s role in this horrific conflict as well,” Menendez said. “Unless we change Russia and Iran’s commitment to propping up Assad, the slaughter will continue.”

Menendez also joined a bipartisan group of senators, including Republican Bob Corker of Tennessee, the current Foreign Relations Committee chairman, in sponsoring the Syria War Crimes Accountability Act on Friday. The bill calls on the secretary of state to report on war crimes and genocide in Syria and authorize assistance for investigations, including a potential hybrid tribunal, to hold Assad accountable.

The Reformed Church of Highland Park is one Central Jersey location which has taken in Syrian refugees, said the Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale. He declined to let them be interviewed because “everything feels a little hot right now for them.”

“I believe that the crimes against humanity that are occurring in Syria and have been occurring in Syria are horrific and need a strong response by the world,” he said. “I am horrified by the chemical attacks, but with all that being said, I have such deep doubts about the qualifications of our commander-in-chief to make decisions militaristicly that I am deeply concerned with the strikes.”

“I rather see our approach first be about working with other nations to respond together,” Kaper-Dale, who is running for governor on the Green Party ticket this year.

“My feeling is that the speed of which that he made the decision seems to be the speed in which he makes all decisions,” he said. “So frequently we see his speedy decisions are poor ones and it just makes me very nervous to see him making poor, speedy decisions when it comes to launching missiles.”

Kaper-Dale has been a vocal critic of the Trump Administration’s immigration ban of seven predominately Muslim countries.

“For a president who has been extremely dismissive of supporting refugees to now so quickly start blasting the country that he won’t take refugees from,” he said, “it just adds to the chaotic decision-making we have seen since Jan. 20.”

Staff Writer Nick Muscavage contributed to this report.