WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) says Congress must be involved in any military steps against North Korea amid rising tensions following U.S. military actions in Syria and Afghanistan.
“I don’t support an aggressive action without certainly the overview of Congress and the Senate, other allies and other folks in the neighborhood whether it’s the Japanese, the Chinese and others who are there working together with us,” Capito said on Monday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
Vice President Mike Pence joined acting South Korean President Hwang Kyo-Ahn in Seoul, South Korea Monday. During the press conference, Pence said “the era of strategic patience is over” regarding North Korea and its nuclear and ballistic program and that “all options are on the table.”
“I think saying ‘all options are on the table’ are obvious that you don’t want to remove an option because then that stats your strength,” Capito said. “So I see that more as an expression of the seriousness.”
Tensions in North Korea became clear after the U.S. launched air strikes on a Syrian airbase following a deadly chemical attack. Capito said she supported President Donald Trump’s action.
“We cannot sit back as a world and as Americans and watch children be poised chemically by their leadership after they are supposedly rid of all their weapons, so I support what he did in terms of sending a strong signal,” she said.
Last week, the U.S. dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb on ISIS targets in Afghanistan — another action made by the Trump Administration.
“I think that the President is listening to people and I think he’s reacting that way,” Capito said. “Until I get signals that he’s this way today and another way tomorrow — I don’t have that signal yet. I think it’s more of a learning curve.”
Capito said a long term strategy needs to be developed before moving forward. She believes Trump’s actions could serve as a “deterrent” for now.
“I think that this shows that there is a new thought in mind that the tolerance level of keeping forward, violating promises, hiding things that are supposed to have been gotten rid of — it just can’t keep going on,” she said.