A number of Republican lawmakers called on Friday for a long-term plan following President Obama’s authorization of targeted airstrikes to deter the terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq.
Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) said conflict in the region was a result of the president “prematurely” withdrawing U.S. troops.
“We are now faced with an unsettling situation as a direct result of these decisions by Obama’s administration, which lacks any clear mission or long-term vision from our nation’s commander-in-chief,” Shuster said. “Terrorist organizations such as ISIS have capitalized on this lack of strategy, recruiting and growing their forces at an alarming rate. In the absence of any tangible U.S. strategy in Iraq, Syria and throughout the rest of the Middle East, ISIS insurgents and Sunni sympathizers continue to march and advance their territory, increasing their mass killings of innocent civilians and decreasing the chances of stability in the region.”
Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.) said the decision to carry out targeted airstrikes in Iraq was “appropriate,” but Crenshaw criticized President Obama’s leadership and lack of a long-term strategy for the region.
“(Obama) must inform Congress and the American public about every step of this mission and, most importantly, lay out the plan for its completion,” Crenshaw said. “My thoughts and prayers are with the U.S. forces who are leading these operations.”
Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio) also urged the president to work with Congress on a long-term strategy.
“The president’s past policies in Iraq and Syria have led us to this point, and it could have been avoided,” Tiberi said. “We need to develop a broader foreign policy that renews the faith of our allies and deters our enemies. My thoughts and prayers remain with American personnel as they carry out their mission. God speed.”