From his perch on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., is promising a bill next week to force President Barack Obama to come to Congress with a plan on handling the civil war in Syria.
Yoho weighed in on Tuesday, insisting Obama has shown no ability to handle the problems in Syria which, the North Florida congressman noted, have spiraled out of control with the rise of Islamic State (ISIS) terrorism and mass refugees.
“Like many Americans, I am frustrated with our president’s lack of leadership and sense of urgency when it comes to foreign affairs,” Yoho said. “The Syrian civil war that continues to rage out of control has been able to do so due to lack of leadership from our president. The Syrian civil war has created chaos in the Middle East, Europe and the world. It has created the largest refugee crisis since WWII, and has allowed the cancer that is ISIS to flourish. We have a president who draws his ‘red lines’ in disappearing ink and has not the will to back it up.”
Yoho offered a preview of his bill, insisting it would tie Obama’s hands until a plan is in place and ensures American troops won’t be deployed until there’s a strategy. The Florida Republican also wanted Obama to come to Congress with a new authorization for use of military force (AUMF).
“President Obama needs to develop and submit to Congress a comprehensive strategy before any more funds are used,” Yoho said. “Not one more cent of the hard working American taxpayer’s money should go to furthering a disjointed and ill-defined plan in the Middle East. Additionally, my legislation would repeal the 2001 and 2002 AUMF’s and block any funds from being used to place combat troops in Syria. No troops will be committed, until we have a clear defined strategy.
“We owe our brave men and women in the military a clear and defined mission,” Yoho added. “I will not send them into harm’s way without a strategy for victory. That is why my legislation will also force the president to seek a new AUMF from Congress and stop operating off of authorities granted more than a decade ago. The Middle East has drastically changed since the turn of the millennium and the United States’ strategy and authority for use of force must be updated.
“My legislation forces the president to seek congressional authorization the correct way and ensures the clearly defined mission that is lacking from Obama’s failed foreign policy,” Yoho concluded.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
