MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript: Syria
Interview
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We turn now to Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine. Senator Collins also met with the president today. She`s leaning I`m told against military intervention.
Is that where you are, Senator Collins?
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: Yes, it is.
I certainly share Senator Boxer`s concern about the use of chemical weapons. There actually have been, however, 100,000 people killed in the Syrian civil war. And there frankly are bad guys on both sides, Hezbollah supporting the ruthless dictator Assad, and then two branches of al Qaeda that have infiltrated the opposition. But my concern is that I don`t want to see our country dragged into yet another civil war in the Middle East and become entangled in what would be a protracted, dangerous, and ugly conflict.
MATTHEWS: Where is the main electorate right now, your people at home? What`s your estimate of where they stand on this issue?
COLLINS: They`re overwhelmingly opposed. I have heard from people from all walks of life, Democrats, independents, Republicans, Green Party members.
And it`s running something like 95 percent against. Now, I have also learned a lot from my constituents. They have been very thoughtful about this issue. And they`re following it very closely. And they`re very concerned.
MATTHEWS: How do you think the Russians will react if they fully realize that the president did not have the Senate behind him, did not have the American people behind him in terms of the use of force? Will they then continue with their effort that they have offered to try to get the chemical weapons out of the hands of Assad?
COLLINS: I think that we should not necessarily trust the Russians, but see how this plays out, because I think it`s in the Russians` own self- interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons.They do not want to see a proliferation of chemical weapons in the region or get to the Chechen opposition in Russia. So I think that Russia is making what may well be a genuine effort here. And certainly a diplomatic
solution where the chemical stockpile is removed from Syria would be both more effective and preferable to our launching a military strike, which is, after all, an act of war.
MATTHEWS: Do you think we should get out of Syria altogether and stop arming the rebels? If the Russians agree to get the Syrians to pull out, get rid of their chemical weapons, wouldn`t it be a good idea for us to say like after in the Cuban Missile Crisis back in `62, where Kennedy cut his deal with Khrushchev, agree not to invade, basically, agree to stay out of there?
I don`t think McCain would like that. What would you like? Would you like that as an offer at a deal? We stay out if you pull out the chemical, we`re out of there?
COLLINS: It`s worth considering, but it`s a difficult situation.
If we`d intervene very early on to train and equip the opposition, we would have known who we were dealing with.
MATTHEWS: Good point.
COLLINS: Now the opposition is totally infiltrated and also includes criminal gangs as well.
So I think it becomes very difficult to sort out who are the good guys here.
MATTHEWS: Thanks so much, Senator Susan Collins of Maine. Thanks for
coming on HARDBALL.
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