Jim Cooper Breaks With Party Ranks On Syria Vote

Jim Cooper says supplying Syrian rebels will not be productive in combating the Islamic State. Credit: Jim Cooper Facebook.

Nashville Democrat Jim Cooper broke with President Obama on a proposal to deal with the Islamic State.

The president’s plan, which passed Wednesday, seeks to train and equip Syrian rebels to fight the militants. Coopers says training Syrian rebels for just three months, as the measure calls for, won’t do very much.

What’s more, Cooper says there’s no telling what the rebels will do with American-supplied weapons. He says some might even give them to the Islamic State. Cooper also says that arming the rebels could embroil the U.S. in another war.

“Well, it’s both too little and too much. It’s betwixt and between. It’s more of a pre-election bailout for a lot my colleagues,” Cooper says.

Representatives Stephen Fincher (R-Frog Jump) and John Duncan (R-Knoxville) also voted against the plan. The Senate is set to take it up Thursday.

Congressmen Marsha Blackburn (R-Brentwood), Diane Black (R-Gallatin), Chuck Fleischmann (R-Chattanooga) and Steven Cohen (D-Memphis) voted for Obama’s proposal. Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-Jasper), who is being treated for cancer, was not present for the vote.