House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she’ll vote Wednesday to pass legislation that both funds the government and authorizes President Obama to train and equip Syrian rebels against Islamic terrorist groups in the Middle East, but she will not twist Democratic arms to join her.
The California Democrat, speaking to reporters Wednesday, called an amendment to arm and train Syrian rebels a “vote of conscience” for her typically anti-war House Democrats, which means the leadership won’t try to sway members to back it.
“We just don’t whip war votes,” Pelosi said.
Administration officials have been in contact with Pelosi ahead of the vote, as they need significant support from both Republican and Democratic caucuses to pass the measure. Many Democrats have pledged to vote against the measure because they believe Congress should be voting on a broader authorization bill that takes into account Obama’s decision to expand bombing in Iraq and into Syria.
Pelosi suggested that the Syria authorization resolution will pass, telling reporters that she believes Obama has outlined a plan that puts emphasis on humanitarian, diplomatic and political efforts to defeat the Islamic terrorists.
“I don’t know how the vote will turn out,” Pelosi said, adding that she believes Democrats will “give points to the president” for his humanitarian and diplomatic efforts.
Pelosi said the legislation does not authorize the use of U.S. combat forces in the region even though Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a House panel Tuesday that U.S. ground troops may be needed.
Democrats, Pelosi said, don’t support any use of American troops beyond some U.S. military on the ground in Syria or Iraq to guide air strikes.
“I don’t think the American people are up for it,” Pelosi said. “I don’t that it would even achieve success to send troops in. But whatever it is, I’m against it.”
Pelosi added, “The worse it gets, the less reason I think we should send in troops. It’s just an endless flywheel.”
