President Barack Obama met with the top four congressional leaders on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the deteriorating situation in Iraq due to growing violence by the Sunni militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The White House provided this readout:
President Obama met today with Senate Majority Leader Reid, Speaker Boehner, Democratic Leader Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader McConnell to discuss the situation in Iraq. The President provided an update on the Administration’s efforts to respond to the threat from ISIL by urging Iraq’s leaders to set aside sectarian agendas and to come together with a sense of national unity. He also reviewed our efforts to strengthen the capacity of Iraq’s security forces to confront the threat from ISIL, including options for increased security assistance. He asked each of the leaders for their view of the current situation and pledged to continue consulting closely with Congress going forward.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) suggested that it was the fault of the president’s withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq that paved the way for the havoc. He provided the following statement:
ISIL is a lethal, violent terrorist force, and its activities in Syria and Iraq represent a grave threat to U.S. Interests. The President briefed us on the approach he’s taking toward developing a strategy for Iraq. Unfortunately, Iraqi security forces are now less capable than when the President withdrew the entirety of our force without successfully negotiating a remaining U.S. presence capable of preserving our gains and mentoring our partners. It is critical that we protect Americans, our allies and our interests– and that we learn from the situation in Iraq as the President begins the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The offices of House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) didn’t comment on the closed-door meeting.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said she “was pleased the President reiterated his assurances that he will not send U.S. troops back into combat in Iraq.” She added, “I do not believe the President needs any further legislative authority to pursue the particular options for increased security assistance discussed today.”
Notably, neither McConnell nor other GOP leaders, though critical of Obama, haven’t suggested a way forward, placing the onus on the president when asked.
So far Obama has decided to send 275 U.S. troops to Iraq to protect
the American embassy and American diplomatic interests but said he won’t
send back ground troops to engage in combat.
Should be,
You’re welcome.
Re Mcturtle: Why didn’t this President give al-Maliki a status of forces agreement with nothing but: ‘Whatever you want oil master and don’t forget to back the bus over our American soldiers daily.’ written on it.
Right. Never mind that Bush signed the 2008 SOFA which explicitly states all troops out by 2011 and turning over detainees to Iraqi control. So he is saying that President Obama should have broken the law and forced Iraq to keep out troops in a sectarian-shooting gallery for the past 3 years which would have down zero to prevent the unfolding sectarian civil-war?
How many billions and how many body-bags is McConnell saying we should have wasted and failed these past 6 years sing the SPFA was signed?
Come on Mitch, tell us more about how we should have been getting our troops killed and flushing billions down a toliet these past 6 years and how we need to hurry up and get more of our people killed and flush more borrowed money downy he toilet to support the fiction of “Iraq” as a nation?
Tell us Mitch, be specific. What’s the number of American dead you are suggesting?
5, 10, 50, 100, 1,000… more? Pick a number of Americans you think is acceptable?
Tell us Mitch, what’s the specific dollar amount you are willing to borrow and flush downy the toilet?
$1 million? $2 million? $10 million, $100 million, $1 billion? $$10 billion? We already flushed nearly $3 trillion down the toilet, but please, give us a specific number.
McConnell is an anti-American lying scumbag of the highest order.
Neither Boehner nor McConnell have offered anything substantive, preferring to let the president take the flak?
I.AM.STUNNED.AT.THIS.DEVELOPMENT.