|
 U.S. House Speaker John Boehner told ABC's "This Week" that he
believed Obama had the legal authority for strikes against Islamic
State, but would call lawmakers back from their districts if Obama
sought a resolution backing the action.
"I think he does have the authority to do it. But ... this is a
proposal the Congress ought to consider," Boehner said, warning that
the United States could eventually be dragged into another ground
war in the region.
Obama and other U.S. officials have said they believe no further
vote to authorize force is needed, but political analysts warn that
the war could dampen participation by anti-war Democrats in the
November elections.
Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat and member of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told CNN that Congress should
debate the issue because of uncertainty about how long the U.S.
military would remain engaged in Syria.
"There are some serious questions that we have to ask," Murphy said.
"You need a realistic political strategy. And I just don't think we
have that today in Syria."
Senator John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican and member of the
Foreign Relations Committee, urged Obama to follow the lead of
British Prime Minister David Cameron in recalling the British
parliament. "I think the president has an obligation to call us back
tomorrow to start this debate," Barrasso said.
Tony Blinken, deputy national security adviser, told "Fox News
Sunday" that U.S. strikes against Islamic State militants were
showing progress, but it would take time to strengthen opposition
forces on the ground. "This is going to be a long-term effort," he
said.
Blinken said U.S. military action in Syria and Iraq was authorized
under a measure passed in 2001 before the first U.S. strikes against
Afghanistan. But he said Obama would welcome a more "targeted,
focused authorization."
[to top of second column]
|
Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, said he backed the
administration's strategy for fighting Islamic State, but did not
believe that current law and the existing war resolutions gave Obama
the authority to carry out the full mission.
"We're not supposed to start a war without Congress," Kaine told
CBS's "Face the Nation" program. "It really concerns me that the
president would assert he has the ability to do this unilaterally,
when as a candidate he made very plain that the president cannot
start a war without Congress."
Senator Angus King, an Independent from Maine, said U.S. lawmakers
had been ceding their authority to declare war since 1938 when
then-President Harry Truman sent the U.S. military into Korea
without a formal declaration of war.
"It's time for Congress to stand up, put itself on record and make
some decisions here," he said.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Aidan Martindale)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
