Durbin Has Questions About Strike Against Syria

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Sen. Dick Durbin wants to hear to hear specifics from President Obama before agreeing to military strikes against Syria because there are neither U.S. lives nor territory at stake.

Durbin said it appears clear that Syrian President Bashar Assad had used poison gas against the Syrian people.

He said it's also obvious that no one should ever use poison gas, whether against his own people or anyone else.

Durbin, speaking in Chicago on Thursday, also said that while the United States opposes the Assad regime, there's a real question of what might follow if he loses power.

The senator pointed out that the United States doesn't like a lot of the rebel forces either.

"It's easier to get into a war than get out of one," he said, adding the Unites States was burned badly in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On Friday afternoon, Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the nation, making a case for U.S. military action.

Professor Thomas Mockaitis of DePaul University told CBS 2's Courtney Gousman that Kerry's comments were a signal.

'This is a 'we're going to do something' statement," he said. "I suspect that within the next couple days, we will see military action."

Chicagoans were concerned about the next moves.

"As far as America being the world's policeman, I don't think that's fair," said Evelyn Root. "There are so many other awful things going on in the world. I just do not think we should be jumping down this road. We can't save everyone."

Deborah Kitterman said: "I'm kind of on the fence. If somebody doesn't do something, this is going to escalate."