Obama asks Congress to authorise war on Islamic State

Obama asks Congress to authorise war on Islamic State

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U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday sent Congress his long-
awaited formal request to authorize military force against Islamic
State, meeting swift resistance from Republicans as well as his fellow
Democrats wary of another war in the Middle East.

Republicans, who control Congress and say Obama’s foreign policy is
too passive, want stronger measures against the militants than
outlined in the plan, which bars any large-scale invasion by U.S.
ground troops and covers the next three years.

Obama acknowledged that the military campaign is difficult and will
remain so. “But our coalition is on the offensive. ISIL is on the
defensive, and ISIL is going to lose,” he said in a televised statement
from the White House.

With many of Obama’s fellow Democrats insisting the plan is too broad
because it includes no blanket ban on ground troops, it could be
difficult for the authorization to pass, even though six months have
passed since the campaign began.

Obama consulted with Republicans and Democrats in writing the
resolution, and said he would continue to do so. He said the time
frame was intended to let Congress revisit the issue when the next
president takes office in 2017.

The proposal says Islamic State “has committed despicable acts of
violence and mass execution.” Its militants have killed thousands of
civilians while seizing territory in Iraq and Syria in an attempt to
establish a hub of jihadism in the heart of the Arab world.

They have also generated international outrage by beheading western
aid workers and journalists and burning to death a Jordanian pilot.
Obama sent his request to Congress a day after his administration
confirmed the death of Kayla Mueller, a 26-year-old aid worker who
was the last known American hostage held by the group.

Both the Senate and House of Representatives must approve Obama’s
plan. Lawmakers said they would begin hearings quickly as
Republicans made clear they thought the plan fell short.

The Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, John
Boehner, told reporters he was sure the plan would change as it
moved though Congress. “I’m not sure the strategy that has been
outlined will accomplish the mission the president says he wants to
accomplish,” he added.

Obama has defended his authority to lead an international coalition
against Islamic State since Aug. 8 when U.S. fighter jets began attacks
in Iraq. The formal request eased criticism of Obama’s failure to seek
the backing of Congress, where some accused him of breaching his
constitutional authority.

With Republicans in control of Congress after routing Obama’s
Democrats in November elections, the president also wants lawmakers
to share responsibility for the campaign against Islamic State and
present a united front.

The plan does not authorize “long-term, large-scale ground combat
operations” such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obama said those operations would be left to local forces, but
lawmakers worried they would not step up. “What is the role, really,
that regional partners are playing in this battle against ISIL?” asked
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine.

The draft allows for certain ground combat operations including
hostage rescues and the use of Special Forces. It permits the use of
U.S. forces for intelligence collection, targeting operations for drone
strikes and planning and giving other assistance to local forces.

Many Democrats, especially liberals in the House, said Obama’s
proposal was too broad. They want any authorization to place stricter
limits on the use of ground troops and expressed concerns Obama set
no geographic limits on the campaign.

“The language … is very broad, very ambiguous,” said Democratic
Representative Adam Schiff. “None of us really know what ‘enduring
offensive combat operations’ means.”

It was the first formal request for authority to conduct a military
operation of Obama’s six years in office. If passed, it would be
Congress’ first war authorization since then-President George W.
Bush’s 2002 authority to wage the Iraq War.

Obama’s objection as a U.S. senator to that authority helped fuel his
successful 2008 campaign for the White House.

Obama’s text includes a repeal of the 2002 Authorization for the Use
of Military Force. But it leaves in place an open-ended authorization,
passed days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, for a campaign against
al Qaeda and affiliates.

Rights groups and many lawmakers said they want the new AUMF to
set an end date for the 2001 authorization, which the White House has
invoked to carry out drone and missile strikes against suspected al
Qaeda militants in Yemen and Somalia.

Obama said he remained committed to working with Congress to
“refine, and ultimately repeal” it.