By Adam Mintzer
WASHINGTON- President Barack Obama sent a proposal to Congress on Wednesday to authorize the use of military force against the Islamic State.
The proposal lays out the White House’s reasons for wanting Congress to act against ISIS. It cites the terrorist group’s rapid expansion, use of extreme violence and interest in committing acts of terror in the United States.
The resolution asks for Congress to grant the president permission to use the military against ISIS as he “determines to be necessary and appropriate.” However, in the proposal to Congress, President Obama included the phrase that U.S. troops could not be used for “enduring offensive combat operations.”
The War Powers Resolution Act requires the president to seek congressional approval before going using military force. The last formal authorization for use of the armed forces by Congress was in 2002, for the U.S. invasion in Iraq.
Obama sent a letter in addition to the resolution. In it he mentioned that he would only use ground forces sparingly.
“My administration’s draft AUMF would not authorize long-term, large-scale ground combat operations like those our nation conducted in Iraq and Afghanistan,” wrote Obama.
Under his proposal, the only U.S. forces that would be used are special operations forces or regular troops for rescue operations. There are no more known U.S. hostages of ISIS following the death in Syria of Kayla Mueller confirmed earlier this week.
Instead, the president emphasized the use of local forces in situations where ground troops are necessary.
Despite the restriction, the resolution got mixed reactions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
In a press conference on Wednesday, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., supported the president’s request.
“ Let’s get this job done and do it in a way that supports…for example, the Jordanians and others who are at ground zero there,” Pelosi said. “So that it’s not a calling upon our troops on the ground as called upon before.”
But House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, opposed the president’s plan.
“The president’s point is he wants to dismantle and destroy ISIS. I haven’t seen the strategy yet that I think will accomplish that,” Boehner said.
However, he refused to comment on whether he believes the strategy should be to send in U.S. troops to fight ISIS.
