It was only a matter of time. After so much Obama dithering and zero consultation with Congress, American boots are going to be on the ground in the fight against ISIL.
U.S. military forces in the Middle East are upping the number of airstrikes and special operations raids and increasing on-the-ground intelligence gathering in an effort to intensify the campaign against the Islamic State group, Defense Secretary Ash Carter told House lawmakers Tuesday.
“We’re at war,” Carter said in testimony on Capitol Hill. “We are using the might of the finest fighting force the world has ever known. Tens of thousands of U.S. personnel are operating in the broader Middle East region, and more are on the way.”
The blunt characterization of the steadily growing military mission in the region stunned members of the House Armed Services Committee, who swung between questioning the strength of the White House strategy against the Islamic State group, also known as ISIL or ISIS, and labeling the mission a full-scale war.
Carter, who frequently appeared frustrated by the congressional questioning, did not back down from either criticism.
“It’s not war in a technical sense, but this is serious business,” he said. “It feels that way to our people.”
It’s interesting that Carter suggests we’re at war, as Congress has yet to authorize military force. Although no one questions that the Islamic State needs to be eradicated, it’s both constitutiionally required and prudent for us to have a discussion about such an invasion so that we avoid the mistakes of the past.
AAN Staff
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