U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, whose district is home to seven military installations, wants no part of President Obama’s plan to strike Syria.
“I do not feel a strike on Syria is in the best interest of our country,” Miller said in a statement released Tuesday. “I know the intelligence and intend to vote no on the authorization for military action.”
The military also has a strong presence in Rep. Steve Southerland’s district, and the Panama City Republican also is opposed to attacking Syria.
“While Syria’s Bashar al-Assad is a tyrant and a threat to his people’s freedoms, I share the concerns of many Americans who are weary of launching a mission that is currently undefined and lacks a clear end game,” Southerland said in a statement.
Southerland’s office said as many as 95 percent of his constituents who have voiced an opinion stood with him.
“I look forward to hearing from my constituents and bringing their perspectives to the table when Congress reconvenes,” Southerland said in his statement.
Obama wants to take military action in retaliation for Assad’s alleged use of chemical weapons against his own people.
Miller and Southerland, frequent critics of Obama, did applaud the president for bringing his case for a military strike to Congress.
But, Miller said, “the civil war in Syria, while tragic, does not have critical national security implications for the United States.”
Miller and Southerland this week were spending the final days of their summer break away from Washington, D.C. When they return to work Monday they can expect mounting pressure to change their minds.
On Tuesday, House Speaker John Boehner announced he would support the president’s call for action. The New York Times said Boehner’s decision gave the president “a crucial ally in the quest for votes in the House.”
Read more about Boehner's announcement. >>
Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida also is among those who have supported a military option in Syria.
“As far as I’m concerned, we should strike in Syria today,” Nelson said in a statement. “The use of chemical weapons was inhumane, and those responsible should be forced to suffer the consequences.”
Marco Rubio, Florida’s Republican senator, also issued a statement Tuesday.
“The United States should only engage militarily when it is pursuing a clear and attainable national security goal. Military action taken simply to send a message or save face does not meet that standard,” Rubio said.
“I agree with the decision to seek Congressional approval before taking military action in Syria. And I believe Congress should return to Washington immediately and begin to debate this issue,” Rubio added.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Tom McLaughlin at 850-315-4435 or tmclaughlin@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomMnwfdn.