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11/21/2024 06:14:57 pm

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Congress Scrutinizes Obama's ISIL strategy

Rep. Rick Nolan (D-Minn.), who opposes Obama's Iraq and Syria strategy.

(Photo : FACEBOOK) Rep. Rick Nolan (D-Minn.), who opposes Obama's Iraq and Syria strategy.

Democratic and Republican Party leaders said Tuesday that they support President Obama's decision to arm Syrian rebels against the Islamic State, also known as ISIL, but began to scrutinize the president's strategy to combat the Middle Eastern insurgents.

After a series of meetings in the House, lawmakers began to scrutinize Obama's strategy, especially Democrats, whose votes will be needed to implement the president's plan.

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Rep. Rick Nolan (D-Mn.), who has been vocal about his opposition of the strategy, said the entire issue of the United States' involvement in the war in Iraq and Syria is "problematic" and "evolving surprisingly."

Additionally, Republican isolationists and liberal Democrats have voiced their fears about how the U.S. military will vet the Syrian rebels to make sure that the artillery will not fall into the hands of the enemy.

The U.S. Congress became even more skeptical after Joint Chief of Staff Chairman Army General Martin Dempsey told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he will personally recommend to Obama to send ground troops to the Middle East if the strategy failed.

A White House spokesman immediately opposed Dempsey's statement saying that the president repeatedly pledged the U.S. will not be sending ground forces to join the war.

Obama has already sent 1,600 U.S. military to Iraq to aid the Iraqi forces in combating the insurgents.

However, the president's strategy in containing the terrorism threat involved a request to train and provide weapons to some 5,000 Syrian rebels who were forced to flee from their homes because of the Islamic State extremists.

According to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, if the resolution is passed in the House, the Senate is also expected to pass it in a "bipartisan vote."

In addition, House Minority Rep. Whip Steny H. Hoyer said he is positive that the House will vote in favor of the president's request despite the concerns of several House Democrats.

But according to Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern, he would oppose Obama's request, saying that the Congress needed to draft new resolutions to broaden the president's strategy.

"We're talking about war. When you drop bombs on people, that's war," McGovern said. "I know this is a hard vote. But we were not elected to duck the hard votes."

On Wednesday, the House is set to vote whether they will approve the president's request.

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