The confusing and changing events surrounding the threat of a U.S. military strike against Syria are turning into a "comedy," House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon said Friday.
"It's been like a comedy the last couple of weeks, where they change positions on the run," he said of the Obama administration. "I think it's something that we really need to pay attention to, obviously."
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The California Republican, speaking on "Fox & Friends," said he spoke Thursday with American diplomatic officials who shared their concerns about the U.S. losing credibility because of its confused Syrian policy.
"I visited with two ambassadors yesterday that are very concerned, because they're in the region. And, they said when we lose credibility, it hurts them in the region. So, it's a serious problem," McKeon said.
Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday in Geneva that efforts to work out a diplomatic solution with Russia to the Syria crisis in Geneva "is not a game." But, McKeon said, he thought the Russians indeed were "playing games with us."
Still, he expressed his hope "that something could come" from the talks in Geneva.
"It might be a little far-fetched to think that it could. But it would be great," he said.
McKeon also expressed concern about how cuts in military spending were affecting the capabilities of the U.S. to defend itself — a view shared by many Americans, he said.
Referring to recent poll, he noted that "83 percent feel they'll be less safe 10 years from now.
"If that's the case, why are we cutting our national security funding so much?" he asked, adding that it "puts us in great jeopardy."
"That's why I told the president, 'We just can't be going off willy-nilly on different missions if we don't restore the funding.'"