On Friday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, called on Obama to outline a strategy to take on IS. Rubio sent Obama a letter, urging him to reach out to the American people on why IS should be defeated and insisting the president had the constitutional authority to strike against IS forces in Syria without congressional approval.
The American people and the world need to hear you outline our strategy to defeat IS in clear and unequivocal terms, Rubio wrote. They need to hear the truth about IS, the threat they represent, and the sacrifice and combined effort that will be needed to defeat them.
IS represents a clear and immediate threat to the national security of the United States, which is why you should use the constitutional and legal authority you possess as commander in chief to conduct attacks to degrade and defeat IS, Rubio continued. Just as the U.S. has conducted operations against terrorists elsewhere, there is no legal reason preventing you from targeting IS in Syria.
With U.S. leadership, the United States should vigorously pursue an international coalition to increase military options against IS, including increased air support and lethal assistance to Iraqi and Kurdish forces as well as a more aggressive approach to destroy supply routes, vital infrastructure and IS leadership wherever they are operating, Rubio added. It is also important to increase support to moderate Syrian opposition forces currently fighting IS.
In addition to striking IS abroad, there must be a renewed and heightened effort to secure the homeland as well. With the disturbing increase in Western fighters from Europe and the United States drawn to support IS, as well as ISs attempts to expand their territory, we must be vigilant in working with European and Middle Eastern partners to track the flow of IS fighters and prevent the return of jihadists to Europe or the U.S., Rubio wrote. This is a large challenge and one that will require considerable attention by the U.S. government and a broad coalition of allies, but it is paramount to U.S. national security.
From his perch on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., announced last week he was introducing a bill giving Obama authority to launch airstrikes against IS forces in Syria.
Nelson said Obama already had the authorization but he wanted to erase any doubts by bringing out his bill, which he introduced on Monday as Congress returned to Washington. He also spoke on the Senate floor on his bill on Monday afternoon.
This will ensure theres no question that the president has the legal authority he needs to use airstrikes in Syria, Nelson said last week. Let there be no doubt, we must go after IS right away because the U.S. is the only one that can put together a coalition to stop this group thats intent on barbaric cruelty.
But Nelson's bill could be on the backburner due to the short September session. Several legal experts agree with Nelson that Obama already has the power to launch airstrikes against IS forces in Syria due to the War Powers Act.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
