While admitting to not having any information on the matter, Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) still offered speculation based on his "gut feeling" that the Syrian government acquired chemical weapons from Iraq, the Huffington Post reported.
"I have not had any classified briefing, but all we know is that Iraq had declared chemical and biological weapons, and then they weren't there," Terry told radio host Tom Becka on Thursday. "It wasn't something that the U.S. was guessing, that was something that they actually declared. But they went someplace."
But while Secretary of State John Kerry insisted on Friday that Syria used chemical weapons against opposition forces, no link has been drawn between that arsenal and any Iraqi weapons.
Terry, who supported the U.S. campaign to oust Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq, said Syria was a different situation.
"The theory then and the evidence was that Iraq was an enemy of the United States and had direct plans in either support of al Qaeda and/or with other weapons that we found out weren't there," Terry said to Becka. "I still think they were moved to Syria."
However, Terry told Becka he did not support the idea of an American military action in Syria because it had not directly threatened the U.S. with its weapons.
"They have used them on their own people, which is atrocious," Terry said to Becka. "Should there be some sanctions? Should there be some punishment? Absolutely. But entering into a military conflict, in what is probably, by definition, a civil war, I just don't think that is part of the responsibility of our military."
The interview can be heard at The Huffington Post.
[Image via Rep. Lee Terry Facebook page]
