The Republican primary for mayor, it seems, runs through the streets of Damascus. During the final debate between the two main rivals vying for the Republican nomination for mayor of New York City, Joe Lhota and John Catsimatidis were asked whether they support President Obama’s attempt to seek Congressional support for a limited strike on Syria.

“This is a very difficult position the president has put us in,” said Joe Lhota. “[President Barack Obama’s] leading from behind, which I call following.”

“We need to have a regime change in Syria,” Lhota added. “I’d ask New York senators to vote ‘yes.'”

Mr. Catsimatidis, siding with many Americans, strongly disagreed. “I don’t think we know enough about the situation,” he said. “Any side we pick, both sides are against us. New York is always the target. When we picked Libya and Egypt, we picked the wrong sides both times.”

“The talk coming out of Washington in recent days is already making New York City less safe. President Obama’s desire to attack Syria is wrong. It is wrong for America and it is wrong for New York City. New York City has always been a top terror target and we need to continue to protect our people so that they feel safe in our city.”

“We need to send a message to President Obama and those in Washington who are agitating for another war that it is dead wrong for New York City,” Mr. Catsimatidis added in a statement released following the debate.

According to an ABC News whip count 145 House Republicans and 14 Republican Senators oppose action in Syria.

NYC’s only Republican congressman Michael Grimm also withdrew his initial support of a military strike, over the weekend.

“Now that the [President Bashar] Assad regime has seen our playbook and has been given enough time to prepare and safeguard potential targets, I do not feel that we have enough to gain as a nation by moving forward with this attack on our own,” the Republican and former Marine combat veteran said in a press release. “Thus, after much thought, deliberation and prayer, I am no longer convinced that a U.S. strike on Syria will yield a benefit to the United States that will not be greatly outweighed by the extreme cost of war.”

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)