To require a report on military activities to deny or significantly degrade the use of air power against civilian and opposition groups in Syria.

SA 3262. Mr. McCAIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 3254, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2013 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle C of title XII, add the following:

[[Page S7260]]

SEC. 1233. REPORT ON MILITARY ACTIVITIES TO DENY OR
SIGNIFICANTLY DEGRADE THE USE OF AIR POWER
AGAINST CIVILIAN AND OPPOSITION GROUPS IN
SYRIA.

(a) Report Required.--Not later than 60 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall,
in consultation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, submit to the congressional defense committees a
report identifying the limited military activities that could
deny or significantly degrade the ability of President Bashar
al-Assad of Syria, and forces loyal to him, to use air power
against civilians and opposition groups in Syria.
(b) Nature of Military Activities.--
(1) Principal purpose.--The principal purpose of the
military activities identified for purposes of the report
required by subsection (a) shall be to advance the goals of
President Obama of stopping the killing of civilians in Syria
and creating conditions for a transition to a democratic,
pluralistic political system in Syria.
(2) Additional goals.--The military activities identified
for purposes of the report shall also meet the goals as
follows:
(A) That the United States Armed Forces conduct such
activities with foreign allies or partners.
(B) That United States ground troops not be deployed onto
Syrian territory.
(C) That the risk to civilians on the ground in Syria be
limited.
(D) That the risks to United States military personnel be
limited.
(E) That the financial costs to the United States be
limited.
(c) Elements on Potential Military Activities.--The report
required by subsection (a) shall include a comprehensive
description, evaluation, and assessment of the potential
effectiveness of the following military activities, as
required by subsection (a):
(1) The deployment of air defense systems, such as Patriot
missile batteries, to neighboring countries for the purpose
of denying or significantly degrading the operational
capability of Syria aircraft.
(2) The establishment of one or more no-fly zones over key
population centers in Syria.
(3) Limited air strikes to destroy or significantly degrade
Syria aircraft.
(4) Such other military activities as the Secretary
considers appropriate to achieve the goals stated in
subsection (b).
(d) Elements in Description of Potential Military
Activities.--For each military activity that the Secretary
identifies in subsection (c), the comprehensive description
of such activities under that subsection shall include, but
not be limited to, the type and the number of United States
military personnel and assets to be involved in such
activities, the anticipated duration of such activities, and
the anticipated cost of such activities. The report shall
also identify what elements would be required to maximize the
effectiveness of such military activities.
(e) No Authorization for Use of Military Force.--Nothing in
this section shall be construed as a declaration or war or an
authorization for the use of force.
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