Anti-Syria war protests; Congressman happy to get to weigh in

SEATTLE — Tim Kelley spent part of this Labor Day weekend in protest, outside the Federal Building on Seattle's Second Avenue.  A former Navy sailor, he opposes America inserting itself militarily in Syria's war.

“It’s a Syrian conflict,” he said.  “It's a Syrian civil war. We need to stay out of this one.”

But he hadn't heard -- until KIRO 7 told him -- that the president announced he won't act until Congress weighs in.  He called it a victory.

“Then we've at least had a little bit of the success, at least the success that England has had in stopping it from happening immediately,” said Kelley. “And that is a great, great foothold, right there.”

Rep. Jim McDermott said his constituents are urging against war.

“People are still opposed,” he said.

He thinks the president is right to ask even a divided Congress to decide.

“Sometimes we are able to rise above the partisanship and the pettiness and all the rest,” said McDermott.  “Because sending people into harm's way -- and these weapons are going to kill some people. So if you're authorizing the use of them you have to understand that some of that responsibility comes to you.”

It is a responsibility a crowd at Westlake Park does not want the U.S. to take on.

The protesters moved to Second Avenue where we met Leigh Simmerer.  He thinks Congress should decide whether the nation goes to war but "I don't think we should be considering war with Syria.” “At All?” KIRO 7 asked.  “Yeah,” he replied.

McDermott could not predict how his congressional colleagues will decide.  He said he hasn't yet made up his own mind.

KIRO