WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders from both parties told reporters they were baffled recently after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis sought their approval before going ahead with missile strikes against the Assad regime in Syria, sources confirmed today.

Mattis, 67, reportedly made phone calls to a number of members of Congress early last week, asking them whether they would pass a vote authorizing a military strike against a country the U.S. is not at war with, or perhaps, at a minimum, debate the merits of such action.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what does he think we do around here?" said Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). "Congress isn't supposed to be overseeing the military or telling it how to conduct wars."