House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio said Tuesday for the first time that he will support "the president's call for action" in Syria, providing Obama with a crucial ally as he searches for votes in Congress for military action.
"I'm going to support the president's call for action and I believe my colleagues should support this call for action," he said after meeting with Obama at the White House.
Boehner said the United States must act, even if the United Nations is blocked from acting by Russia.
"The United States, for our entire history, has stood up for democracy and freedom for people around the world," he said. "The use of these weapons have to be responded to, and only the United States has the capability and capacity to stop Assad and to warn others around the world that this type of behavior is not going to be tolerated."
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio said Tuesday for the first time that he will support "the president's call for action" in Syria, providing Obama with a crucial ally as he searches for votes in Congress for military action.
Anita Kumar
McClatchy Washington Bureau