I posted below about sharp differences among Republicans (notably Senators John McCain and Rand Paul) over military action against the Assad regime in Syria.
At The Washington Post, Greg Sargent reports on the differences among Democrats and liberals.
The vote will be unlike any other of the Obama era in that there is no clear partisan position and deep divisions on both sides. Much has been made of the split on the right between hawkish neocons and isolationish libertarians, but the left has its own divisions here as well.
Among those active on the liberal interventionist side is actress Mia Farrow:
I wonder how many Syrians will die before Congress comes back
— mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) August 31, 2013
Farrow has established an admirable record as an advocate for human rights worldwide. She was critical of President Obama’s failure to act more forcefully against Sudan’s President Omar Bashir in response to the Darfur massacres. And noting China’s support for Bashir, she denounced the “Genocide Olympics” in Beijing in 2008.
Meanwhile, groups like MoveOn, which fought the Iraq war, have been vocally opposed to intervention. Some even told the Huffington Post’s Ryan Grim that Democratic leaders in Congress, including liberal icon Nancy Pelosi, should be replaced if they support the war effort. ”It’s time to change the House leadership,” said Howie Klein of Blue America.
