Blunt commits to 'no' vote on Syria military action

Republican U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt said Monday he's decided to vote against a military strike in Syria as outlined by President Barack Obama, citing a belief that Obama's plan doesn't accomplish the country's goals.

"After careful consideration and a number of briefings on this topic, I believe this strategy and the unknown response it may provoke are the wrong thing to do, and I will not support the resolution the President has asked for," Blunt said in a statement.

Blunt said he's "not convinced" that Obama's strategy of a strike designed to warn the Syrian regime against future use of chemical weapons is backed up by realistic policy goals.

Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill said seeking congressional approval of a military strike is the "right course of action" for Obama, but hasn't said yet how she'll vote.

"A dictator's illegal and brutal murder of innocent civilians with chemical weapons has clear implications for our national security, and for the safety of our allies, but we must avoid becoming entangled in another long, costly military campaign," McCaskill said in a statement.

McCaskill said she hopes members of Congress will keep politics out of the debate over military action. Spokesman Drew Pusateri said McCaskill hasn't yet reached a decision, pending further review of the intelligence and consultation with other senators.

Last week, Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, also said he won't support military action in Syria because of the lack of a clear objective.

An Associated Press poll concluded Monday there's scant public support for a military strike.