Rubio says it's "time to act" to help Syrian rebels

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., today advocated working with international partners to help the Syrian rebels struggling to take down the regime of President Bashar Assad.

"It is time to act now," Rubio told an audience at New York's Council on Foreign Relations. "I don't want to score political points on this issue, but I want to see it resolved because it benefits our national interest, and it is the right thing to do from a humanitarian point of view."

Just days ago, pro-Assad forces massacred more than 100 Syrian civilians in the city of Houla, prompting an international outcry. United Nations efforts to broker a cease-fire in the more than year-long conflict have so far proved futile.

The Florida senator said today the time had come for the U.S. and its allies to increase aid to the opposition forces in the country.

"The greatest thing that we can do now is help the rebels and the Free Syria Army and the political branch of the resistance to organize themselves, because one of the biggest problems we have is there is not a cohesive group there," Rubio said. "I think that in this endeavor we can work with our allies that are in the region."

Rubio, consistently mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick for Mitt Romney, has been raising his national profile in recent weeks. He has given several major speeches and traveled to the prison at Guantanamo Bay on a fact-finding mission. He is releasing an autobiography next month.

Asked by the moderator how "Vice President Rubio" sounded, the 41-year-old first term senator was quick to respond.

"It doesn't," he said.

[magnus74]

http://youtu.be/lyh3FywCq54 please watch and see how honorable Rubio is.

[Lindag20]

Sure. Just what we need another useless war. These people need to resolve this THEMSELVES without US troops.

[TJphoto]

I want to know who the men in the shadows are
I want to hear somebody asking them why
They can be counted on to tell us who our enemies are
But they're never the ones to fight or to die
And there are lives in the balance
© Jackson Brown

[ejr1953]

Maybe we could outfit members of Congress with military gear and sent THEM over to Syria?

[euge005]

In terms of the Senate he is a goofy punk kid and this stuff shows it. McCain we understand thinks like this, but he is senile old burn out. Rubio might want to suggest who would pay for it. Clue, it would not be his country club set at the 19th hole or the vulture capitalists either.

[irreverentasever]

Can't we just send some Afghani Special Forces or Iraqi's Seal Team 7 to do the job?

[calif7]

Rubio does not want to score political points. Give me a break!

[DebbieCorona]

Maybe Rubio and some of the Romney boys can man up and go to Syria themselves. It's easy to send someone else off to die in your place.

[esq777]

Perhpas Rubio would like to strap on some body arbor and ship off to Damascus. And what makes this genius think that the rebels are friends of the US? We've got enough problems at home without wasting more money intervening in some other country's problems.

[cbsnews_viewer]

Its time government pays its bills and reduces the debt.

[euge005]

And implements the Buffet rule so bums like Mittens pays their fair share. Also need to criminalize the tax shelters he uses to him his money off shore.