The Patriot Post® · Congress Still Won't Touch Islamic State Tar Baby

In the ongoing conflict with the Islamic State, numerous questions remain surrounding what course of action the United States should take. So far, there is no clear course, and the Leftmedia have largely given Barack Obama a pass on his foreign policy failures. But Congress bears part of the blame because members have shirked their responsibilities to govern, and have essentially given this commander in chief free reign to do as he pleases. That’s what happens when national security is politicized — it becomes a tar baby.

Recall that Obama is still operating under the same Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) granted to George W. Bush for Iraq and Afghanistan. Still, in February 2015, Obama submitted a request for a new AUMF to deal with the Islamic State. Congress didn’t approve it, claiming that Obama still had the necessary authority under the Bush’s AUMF — a reasonable argument. Due to Obama’s numerous failed strategies in the Middle East (Libya, Syria, Egypt, Yemen and Iraq) he couldn’t even convince Senate Democrats to approve his AUMF request. Obama obviously wanted Congress to share responsibility for his strategy debacle against the Islamic State, but lawmakers still haven’t taken the bait.

In September 2013, Obama emphatically declared, “I will not put boots on the ground in Syria.” In other words, he set another one of several red lines for Syria, which are, based on his actions, imaginary red lines that can be crossed whenever he deems it necessary. He recently announced that he will put boots on the ground in Syria — 50 special operations troops to be exact. So the ground campaign that wasn’t supposed to start under his watch begins — without the AUMF he once thought he needed.

Perhaps Obama wants to send 50 American special operations troops to replace the 50 Syrians we spent millions of dollars training. It’s bad enough that American tax dollars were grossly misspent, but it’s far worse that he is half-heartedly committing 50 American lives.

Even Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is usually incompetent on matters concerning foreign policy, voiced concerns: “The Special Forces are limited to, I think, to 50. That won’t do it. … [I]f we’re really going to use special operations — quick in, quick out — you have to do it in a much more comprehensive way to get at ISIL.” She continued, “I have said before, and I really believe it, we will fight them now, or we will fight them later. It’s only a question of time.”

How is it that one of the most liberal senators in Washington sees the Islamic State as an incredible threat to the world that needs to be dealt with sooner rather than later, but our commander in chief does not?

Obama’s foreign policy has exacerbated the mess in the Middle East, but it seems Congress has likewise chosen political calculation over taking the Islamic State seriously. Members have dodged their war powers responsibility and in effect ceded this authority to Obama. While this isn’t the first time Congress has found such a move to be politically expedient, this is an extremely dangerous course given the current White House occupant.

Sen. Tim Kaine, (D-VA), who is trying to get members of Congress to vote on a new AUMF, said, “There is sort of this belief that if we do not vote, we cannot be held politically accountable. We can just blame the president.” Certainly, as we’ve already said, Obama would like to be able to blame Congress.

But perhaps Kaine has a point. If a member of Congress does not want to give Obama a new AUMF, then they should vote no and be ready to answer for it. Conversely, if a member of Congress believes there is a need to grant Obama a new AUMF, then they should vote yes and likewise be able to defend the vote. Kicking the can down the road until after the next presidential election is not the right answer when American troops are putting their lives on the line now.

Congress has gone far too long without having any meaningful debate about what course of action to take with the Islamic State.

Finally, Obama repeatedly berated Bush for “going it alone.” Yet Obama is doing things by himself in Syria, and as long as Congress does not get involved he will continue to do so. Unchecked power is dangerous under our Constitution. Congress doesn’t have a pass to ignore this executive’s overreach.