Posted on 11/19/2015 7:02:51 PM PST by markomalley
President Obama scolded congressional Republicans on Thursday for failing to pass a new war authorization measure to fight the Islamic State, and instead fighting Obama's policy prescriptions.
"It's easier to talk about Guantanamo, I guess, than it is to, for example, pass an authorization for the use of military force [AUMF] in Syria, which hasn't gotten done yet," Obama said while appearing in Manila Thursday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He was referring to his plan to close the detention facilities in Cuba, something most Republican oppose.
"It's easier to talk about refugees than to talk about the hard work that's going to be required in putting organizations like ISIL out of business, but they don't actually have the kind of impact that we need on the problem," Obama added about lawmakers who oppose allowing more Syrian refugees into the U.S. given the domestic threat ISIL poses.
Speaking later to reporters traveling across Asia with Obama, Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said that in the 2001 AUMF issued to fight al Qaeda, the administration has the authority it needs to engage the Islamic State militarily. However, officials have been asking Congress to pass a new one focused on the Islamic State.
"[W]e clearly believe that that AUMF was written at a different time, in a different threat context, with a focus on al Qaeda and their Taliban sponsors," he continued. "If we want to indicate to the world that the United States is united in this effort, is in it for the long haul, and is very clear about the objective of destroying ISIL, the very best thing that Congress could do is pass an authorization to use military force."
Obama sent Congress an AUMF proposal earlier this year, but it went nowhere due a lack of support from both sides. Democrats have said Congress doesn't need a new AUMF, while many Republicans say they can't vote for a new one given the lack of a clear strategy from Obama on how to fight the terrorist group.
Rhodes also took issue with critics who say that Obama is unwilling to define the struggle with ISIL as a war.
"I don't know how many times we've been asked if we're at war with ISIL, and I don't know how many times we've said, 'yes, we are at war with ISIL,'" Rhodes said. "We have been engaged in a war with ISIL for some time now."
The U.S. "was engaged in a war with ISIL's predecessor, al Qaeda in Iraq," Rhodes continued. "So, yes, we do believe we are at war. We are at war with a terrorist network, a lethal terrorist network. We're at war with ISIL, just as we're at war with al Qaeda and its affiliates."
The guy famous for LIKING terrorists, indeed the man whose own youth mentor AND the guy who later launched his political career are BOTH terrorists, is pissed cuz he has no new war powers:
That sounds like a JOKE, right..?
Dude that was months ago
All I can think is impeach and remove yet, they just won’t.
I have to accept that God has a reason.
Are Obama and Trudeau new bestest buds ?
If POS Obama was FDR, he’d have sided with Hitler against England.
Why should Congress pass a new war authorization? Obama's policy prescription is to not fight ISIS.
Why settle for a little authority of force? Maybe he would be happy with an actual Declaration of War by Congress against the “islamic” state, and its savage cockroach murdering, rapist, pedophile members??
That would really put a rip in his drawers, wouldn’t it?
Fits right in with his Iranian advisor's national slogan! Death to America!
Actually, I wonder who’s side he would have us fighting with.
This regime are the last ones I would give war type authorization too! Obama must be removed from office...like yesterday! Sorry world, y’all going to have to go it alone.
For sure.
this guy is totally unravelling. he’ll be talking to his dead mamma and eating his own poo before he staggers out of office.
Will somebody get this clown a shrink! He’s lost his mind and is throwing way too many childish tantrums. The boy has to get his way or he starts whining. His whining is driving me crazy.
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