Congressman Mark Pocan has been steady in his opposition to military intervention in Syria, arguing for weeks that the United States must seek to engage the international community in the search for a diplomatic resolution to concerns about the use of chemical weapons in that country.
But he is no longer alone.
Before President Obama spoke about his proposal on Tuesday — in a speech that cleared some space for debate by calling for a delay in House and Senate votes on his request for a use-of-force authorization — Wisconsin Sens. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Oshkosh, and Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Madison, announced their opposition.
Since then, most other members of the Wisconsin delegation have announced their opposition.
Three members, Democrats Ron Kind and Gwen Moore and Republican Tom Petri, say they are still sorting through the issues. But all are skeptical.
This is as it should be.
President Obama has begun to embrace diplomatic initiatives that could resolve the Syria standoff. The Congress should not muddle the circumstance by offering any encouragement for the use of force.
If a crisis arises, and the national interest of the United States is threatened, the president can consult Congress.
But there should be no rush to intervene with force as long as the slightest chance for a diplomatic resolution remains as a realistic alternative.