Kirk Calls for Missile Strike on Syria

Syrian regime is believed to have used chemical weapons on civilians

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk on Monday advocated for the U.S. to launch a missile strike at the Syrian regime which is believed to have used chemical weapons on civilians.

"My hope is to find the military unit that possibly was involved and hit their headquarters to cause a direct price for gassing civilians," he said during a visit to the Rock Island Arsenal, according to The Quad City Times. "I think there needs to be consequences."

Kirk opposes extending "boots on the ground" U.S. military involvement in Syria. He likened an air strike to the 1998 attack on Iraq aimed at curbing weapons of mass destruction. Kirk is a Highland Park Republican and a recently retired Naval intelligence officer.

Secretary of State John Kerry has decried what he called Syria's "indiscriminate slaughter of civilians," but hasn't indicated whether the U.S. will take action. Syrian President Bashar Assad has denied launching a chemical attack.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
 

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