Rapid Fire August 29, 2013: Western Parliaments Want A Say in Syrian Decisions

• While President Obama had not reached a decision yesterday about the way to proceed with Syria, 116 members of the US House of Representatives, most of them Republicans, signed a letter [PDF] urging him to consult Congress before launching strikes. Like many, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith [D-WA] is circumspect about the effectiveness and ultimate consequences of such an intervention.