McDonough: Syrian attack prevents proliferation of chemical weapons 8 (UPI) -- White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said Sunday a U.S. strike on Syria would not be an extended campaign like those in Iraq and Afghanistan. As Congress debates whether to approve President Barack Obama's call for a military strike against Syrian President Bashar Assad -- in retaliation for an Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack that killed more than 1,400 people -- McDonough said fears of an extended occupation should be put to rest. In an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," he said he understands the fear the United States might get "dragged into the middle of an ongoing civil war," but he said officials plan to "be very careful and very targeted and very limited in our engagement." This is not Iraq or Afghanistan. This is not Libya," McDonough said. This is not an extended air campaign. This is something that's targeted, limited and effective, so as to underscore that [Assad] should not think that he could get away with this again. During an appearance on ABC's "This Week," McDonough said the question before Congress "is a very simple one -- should there be consequences for [Assad] having used gases, chemical weapons, to kill more than 1,000 of his own people, including more than 400 children?" "The answer to that question will be followed closely in Tehran ... the answer to that question will be followed closely in Damascus, the answer to that question will be followed very closely by members of Lebanese Hezbollah," McDonough said. Failure to retaliate for the use of chemical weapons would mean "a greater risk of them being proliferated" and perhaps falling into terrorists' hands, McDonough said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "Our troops have not been subject to chemical weapons attacks since World War I," he said. We have to make sure that for the sake of our guys -- our men and women on the front lines -- that we reinforce this prohibition against using chemical weapons. The Senate could vote on a possible military strike as early as Wednesday. The measure need 60 votes to move ahead to final passage.