Sen. Chris Coons: White House May Be Prepping An Assad Strike | Morning Joe

HIS OWN PEOPLE. AN ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL TELLS
NBC NEWS THAT THE STATEMENT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RELEASED IF
IT WASN'T BELIEVED THAT A CHEMICAL ATTACK WAS IMMINENT,
BUT FIVE U.S. DEFENSE MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS TOLD
NBC NEWS THAT THEY WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THE WHITE HOUSE
STATEMENT AND COULD NOT EVEN GUESS WHAT A POSSIBLE TARGET
WOULD BE. JOINING US NOW FROM CAPITOL HILL
MEMBER OF THE FOREIGN RELATIONS AND JUDICIARY COMMITTEES,
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR CHRIS COONS OF DELAWARE.
SENATOR, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS?
>> THIS WAS A SURPRISING DEVELOPMENT, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN
BRIEFED ON IT, BUT IT'S A REMINDER OF THE ONGOING TURMOIL
AND CHALLENGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
WE'VE GOT AMERICAN FORCES ON THE GROUPED AND IN THE AIR IN THE
CAMPAIGN AGAINST ISIS IN THE RAKA AREA AND CONTINUING
OPERATIONS AGAINST ISIS IN MOSUL, IN IRAQ.
FRANKLY, THIS THREAT OF RENEWED ACTION AGAINST ASSAD FOR HIS
POTENTIAL USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAIN AGAINST HIS OWN
PEOPLE IS A REMINDER THAT WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR A STRATEGY
FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO CONDUCT BOTH THE
WAR AGAINST ISIS AND WHETHER HE WILL CONDUCT ANY FURTHER STRIKES
AGAINST ASSAD. >> MIKE.
>> SENATOR, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES IS MORE OR LESS REMOVED HIMSELF FROM THE
CHAIN OF COMMAND ABOUT TROOP MOVEMENTS IN AFGHANISTAN,
HANDING THEM OVER TO THE DISCRETION OF SECRETARY MATTIS
AND THE MILITARY, WHAT DO WE KNOW IF ANYTHING, ABOUT THE
CHAIN OF COMMAND BEHIND THIS STATEMENT ISSUED LATE LAST
NIGHT? >> RIGHT.
>> MIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS STATEMENT EXACTLY CAME FROM AND
WHERE THE DECISION TO THREATEN ASSAD WITH AN ADDITIONAL ATTACK
CAME FROM. I DID SUPPORT THE PREVIOUS
STRIKE AGAINST ASSAD'S REGIME. AFTER YEARS OF BRUTALITY AGAINST
HIS OWN PEOPLE, IN VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL NORMS, THE
CONTINUED USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
I'LL REMIND YOU, SHOWS THAT RUSSIA'S ACTIONS IN WHICH THEY
SAID THEY GUARANTEED THAT ASSAD HAD GIVEN UP ALL OF HIS CHEMICAL
WEAPONS WERE NOT FULLY TRUTHFUL. ASSAD CONTINUES TO BRUTALIZE AND
MURDER HIS OWN PEOPLE WITH THE SUPPORT OF SCLAD MERE PUTIN'S
RUSSIA AND IRAN, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER ACTION
AGAINST ASSAD, WE NEED TO KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, MIKE, TRUMP IS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF,
AND HE CAN'T SIMPLY OUTSOURCE IMPORTANT NATIONAL SECURITY
DECISIONS LIKE TAKING A STRIKE THAT MIGHT RELEASE CHEMICAL
WEAPONS AGAINST AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
>> SENATOR, IT'S WILLIE GEIST. WHEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES SAYS THAT SYRIA WILL PAY A HEAVY PRICE IF THEY LAUNCH
THIS CHEMICAL ATTACK, THAT SOUNDS TO MOST PEOPLE LIKE A RED
LINE, THE KIND THAT HE CRITICIZED PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR
DRAWING AND THEN ONCE IT WAS CROSSED, NOT DOING ANYTHING
ABOUT. WHAT SHOULD AN AMERICAN READING
THAT STATEMENT THIS MORNING BELIEVE?
WHAT SHOULD THEY THINK? IS THERE AN ATTACK IMMINENT FROM
SYRIA? >> DO YOU BELIEVE THAT?
>> WELL, IT CERTAINLY SUGGESTS TO ME THAT THEY ARE PREPARING
FOR ANOTHER STRIKE AGAINST ASSAD AND THAT THIS WAS DESIGNED TO BE
A RED LINE STATEMENT. THAT'S EXACTLY THE SORT OF THING
THAT CAN BE IRRESPONSIBLE OR EVEN DANGEROUS IF YOU MAKE A
VERY BRIGHT LINE STATEMENT WITHOUT HAVING LAID OUT A
STRATEGY FOR BACKING IT UP AND WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS. I DO THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD
GET SUPPORT FROM MANY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FOR STRIKING ASSAD'S
CHEMICAL WEAPONS FORCES, BUT TO DO SO WOULD REQUIRE CAREFUL
PLANNING AND A CLEAR STRATEGY. I'LL REMIND YOU, IF YOU STRIKE
THE BUNKERS WHERE CHEMICAL WEAPONS ARE STORED, YOU RISK
RELEASING THEM INTO THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE IN THE AREA AND
CAUSING MORE HARM THAN GOOD. ASSAD IS OBVIOUSLY STRONGLY
BACKED BY RUSSIA AND WE RISK ESCALATING THE CONFLICT IN SYRIA
BY TAKING A STRIKE WITHOUT THE UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE. >> YOU JUST SAID A SECOND AGO,
SENATOR, THAT SOUNDS TO YOU LIKE THEY'RE PREPARING FOR SOME KIND
OF A LAUNCH, THAT THE WHITE HOUSE IS PREPARING SOME SOME
KIND OF AN ATTACK ON SYRIA. IS THAT BASED ON INTELLIGENCE
YOU HAVE ARE AUTO JUST YOUR READING OF THE STATEMENT?
>> THAT'S JUST MY READING OF THE STAEMT.
I HAVE RECEIVED NO OTHER BRIEFING OF ANY KIND.
>> ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THIS STATEMENT, AND NIKKI HALEY'S
TWEET? >> IMAUTO -- I CONTINUE TO BE
UNCOMFORTABLE WITH FOREIGN POLICY DECISIONS MADE BY TWEET,
AND FRANKLY, CANDIDATE TRUMP SAID THAT HE WOULD BE
UNPREDICTABLE IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AND PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS
CERTAINLY DELIVERED ON THAT. WHEN I'VE GAUCHB TO REGIONAL
SECURITY CONFERENCES WITH THE NORTH ATLANTIC COMMUNITY, I JUST
RETURNED FROM ONE WITH SENATOR McCAIN IN THE ASIA PACIFIC, I
HEAR THAT OUR ALLIES AND OUR OPPONENTS ARE DEEPLY UNSETTLED
BY THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP.
WE HERE IN CONGRESS ARE FOCUSED THIS WEEK, ESPECIALLY IN THE
SENATE, ON THE HEALTH CARE BILL. THIS IS A REMINDER THAT THERE'S
LOTS OF OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD, BUT THIS IS
THE WEEK WHERE WE EITHER ARE OR ARE NOT GOING TO SEE REPUBLICANS
MOVE FORWARD. THE BILL THAT THEY DEVELOPED IN
SECRET THAT WOULD TAKE AWAY HEALTH CARE FROM 22 MILLION
AMERICANS. I SUSPECT MOST AMERICANS
WATCHING THIS SHOW THIS MORNING AREN'T EXPECTING AN ESCALATION
IN THE CONFLICT IN SYRIA. >> SENATOR, BACK TO OUR POLICY
IN AFGHANISTAN. ARE YOU OR ANY OF YOUR
COLLEAGUES BOTHERED BY THE PRESIDENT'S APPARENT RECUSAL
FROM BEING THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF OVER OUR AFGHANISTAN
POLICY? >> YES.
THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING IMPORTANT
STRATEGIC DECISIONS. I UNDERSTAND A DESIRE TO ALLOW
COMBATANT COMMANDERS TO MAKE WEEK BY WEEK DECISIONS, TACTICAL
DECISIONS, BUT A DECISION THAT CHANGES OUR TRAJECTORY IN
AFGHANISTAN BY REINSERTING THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN TROOPS AND
ASKING OUR VITAL NATO ALLIES TO CONTINUE TO SHOULDER THE BURDEN
ALONG SIDE US OF FIGHTING IN AFGHANISTAN, THAT'S A COMMANDER
IN CHIEF DECISION. WE IN THE FOREIGN RELATIONS
COMMITTEE BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR
AN ADMINISTRATION WITNESS TO COME FORWARD AND TESTIFY ABOUT
THEIR STRATEGY IN AFGHANISTAN AND ISIS.
THAT'S THE PRESIDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY.
>> SO, SENATOR, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOMETHING YOU JUST TOUCHED ON
THAT CONCERNS A LOT OF PEOPLE. MILLIONS OF THEM IN YOUR STATE.
THAT IS THIS HEALTH CARE BILL THAT'S BEING COBBLED TOGETHER BY
REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE. BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW OF IT,
BASED ON WHAT YOU HAVE READ AND SEEN --
>> WE'RE TRYING TO GET HEALTH CARE THROUGH THE EXCHANGE WHERE
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO GET A
QUALITY AFFORDABLE CARE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THEY WOULD BE AT RISK OF LOSING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DELAWAREANS WHO
GET THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH THEIR EMPLOYER MIGHT
FACE THE LOSS OF THE CONSUMER PROTECTIONS, THE ESSENTIAL
HEALTH BENEFITS THAT ARE GUARANTEED THROUGH THE ACA.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, 150 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE HIGHER QUALITY
INSURANCE BECAUSE OF THE ACA. I THINK WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT
ENOUGH. THE PREEXISTING CONDITION
PROTECTION, THE BAN ON LIFETIME CAPS, THE BAN ON DISCRIMINATION
BASED ON GENDER, KEEPING YOUR KIDS ON HEALTH CARE THROUGH 26.
THAT AFFECTS 150 MILLION AMERICANS, AND THOSE WOULD BE
SWEPT AWAY THROUGH A SERIES OF STATE WAIVERS IN THE SENATE
REPUBLICAN BILL. >> SENATOR, I WANT TO PLAY FOR
YOU SENATOR HERONO OF HAWAII SPEAKING IN THE WELL OF THE
SENATE LAST NIGHT. TAKE A LISTEN.
>> MY MOMENT OF RECKONING CAME TWO MONTHS AGO DURING A ROUTINE
PHYSICAL MY DOCTOR TOLD ME I HAVE KIDNEY CANCER.
IT'S A MOMENT EVERYONE DREADS. TOMORROW I'M GOING IN FOR
SURGERY TO REMOVE THE LESION I HAVE ON MY RIB, BUT I'M GOING TO
BE BACK AS QUICKLY AS I CAN TO KEEP UP THE FIGHT AGAINST THIS
MEAN, UGLY BILL. >> VERY STARK PERSONAL TERMS,
BUT THE BILL, IT JUST -- I STILL COME BACK TO THE FACT THAT I
DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ANYBODY COULD VOTE FOR THIS WITH A
STRAIGHT FACE. WHAT IS YOUR KIND OF, I GUESS,
MINDSET OF THE STATE OF AFFAIRS ON CAPITOL HILL RIGHT NOW?
>> YOU KNOW, I'M SOMEONE WHO TRIES VERY HARD TO BE
BIPARTISAN, TO WORK ACROSS THE AISLE, TO MOVE FORWARD
LEGISLATION. THIS IS VERY HARD.
IT IS VERY HARD. I SAT ON THE FLOOR BEHIND
SENATOR HERRONO, A CLOSE FRIEND, AS SHE GAVE THAT SPEECH
YESTERDAY. IT'S HARD TO LOOK THIS RIGHT IN
THE FACE AND NOT BE ANGRY AT MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES.
I HAVE AN EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBER, MY COUSIN'S BROTHER, WHO
HAS BEEN A QUADRIPLEGIC FOR MOST OF HIS ADULT LIFE.
HIS FAMILY COULD NEVER AFFORD HIS CARE.
MEDICAID HAS MADE HIS CARE POSSIBLE, HAS SUSTAINED HIS LIFE
FOR DECADES, AND HAS GIVEN HIM A QUALITY OF LIFE THAT COULD BE
IMPOSSIBLE OTHERWISE. EVERY DAY I AM MINDFUL OF THE
DELAWAREANS, OF PEOPLE I KNOW ACROSS THIS COUNTRY WHO RELY ON
MEDICAID. THE IDEA THAT WE ARE GOING TO
SEE A BILL COME TO THE FLOOR HERE IN THE SENATE THAT WOULD
CUT HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT OF MEDICAID OVER THE
NEXT DECADE WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP PROMISED ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
THAT HE WOULD NOT CUT MEDICAID, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT MOMENT
FOR THE VALUES OF THIS COUNTRY. WHO DO WE VALUE?
WHAT DO WE VALUE? THAT'S WHAT'S ON THE FLOOR THIS
WEEK. >> IT'S GOING TO BE A VOTE OF
CONSCIENCE FOR EVERYONE CONCERNED, SENATOR.
ON ANOTHER ISSUE BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, THE SUPREME COURT RULING
YESTERDAY ALLOWING THE PRESIDENT'S TRAVEL BAN TO GO
FORWARD IN PART. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THAT?
>> WELL, I THINK IT REFLECTS THE SUPREME COURT'S LONG DEFERENCE
TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH IN MATTERS OF NATIONAL SECURITY AND
IMMIGRATION. I'M TROUBLED BY A NUMBER OF THE
DECISIONS THAT WERE RELEASED YESTERDAY SHOWING A CONSERVATIVE
TREND IN THE COURT, BUT I THINK ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE WE'LL
HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL ORAL ARGUMENT AND A FULL DECISION IN THE FALL.
>> ALL RIGHT. SENATOR COONS, THANK YOU FOR
BEING ON THE SHOW THIS MORNING. APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU. >>> STILL AHEAD THIS MORNING, IT
WASN'T JUST THE TRAVEL BAN BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT.
THERE WAS ANOTHER IMPORTANT RULING INVOLVING THE SEPARATION
OF CHURCH AND STATE. OUR LEGAL ANALYST WILL EXPLAIN
THAT FOR US JUST AHEAD. FIRST, HER WORK MEETINGS INVOLVE
SITTING DOWN WITH THE TALIBAN, ISIS, AND AL QAEDA.
OUR FASCINATING CONVERSATION WITH THE WASHINGTON POST
JOURNALIST WHO FOR DECADES HAS COVERED THE WORLD'S MOST
DANGEROUS TERROR GROUPS AND HER NEW BOOK DETAILS HER MOTHER
HARROWING

Sen. Chris Coons: White House May Be Prepping An Assad Strike | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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