CNN host grills GOP lawmaker: 'Who cares' if Russia gets an edge in Syria deal?

CNN host Candy Crowley on Sunday asked House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-MI) why he insisted on slamming President Barack Obama's administration for allowing the Russians to help negotiate a deal for Syria to hand over it's chemical weapons.

"The Syria plan has been confusing at best over the past two years," Rogers told Crowley. "Last week, it was more confusing to the American people and to members of Congress about our national security interests. The president couldn't quite close that deal."

"So, that indecisiveness, I think, gave the diplomatic advantage to the Russians," he added. "They saw it, they stepped in. This is a Russian plan for Russian interests, and we should be very, very concerned."

"But who cares?" Crowley interrupted. "If it has a chance to get rid of chemical weapons, do we really care that Russia got the diplomatic edge?"

"Well, if it were just that, that's true," Rogers replied. "But if the president believes, like I do, that a credible military force helps you get a diplomatic solution, they gave that away in this deal. I'm really concerned about that."

Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday said that "the threat of force is real" if Syria did not comply with its part of deal.

Watch the video below from CNN's State of the Union, broadcast Sept. 15, 2013.

(h/t: Mediaite)