WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday it will be "virtually impossible" for Congress to approve President Barack Obama's proposed authority for military force against Islamic State militants.
In a meeting with a handful of reporters, the Republican leader said Obama's proposal for new authority is stalled months after Obama requested a three-year authority that bans "enduring offensive combat operations" for U.S. troops.
Boehner said it made no sense for Congress to give the president less authority than he already has to combat Islamic extremists, who have captured parts of Iraq and Syria.
"Until the president gets serious, there's no reason to give him less authority," Boehner said.
Congress has held several hearings on Obama's request, issued in February, but the authority has languished Boehner, who recently led a congressional delegation to the Middle East, said he wants U.S. forces in Iraq to have a larger role in planning and directing Iraqis trying to combat the Islamic militants. He stopped short of saying the U.S. should send more than the 4,500 troops in the region.
Boehner expressed frustration with the administration's strategy, saying he repeatedly heard two questions from U.S. allies — where's America headed or is America abandoning us.what is he doing laying ground work for another republican homespun scandal? sounds like Benghazi they blame Hilary but refused to fund for it's security. so if Isis continues will they use it to say Pres. is not leading again? we really need to pump up our responses to republican fallacies or they will dominate the news cycle we can't allow that till 2016.
if he already has enough authorization why did he go to congress are they trying to goad him into doing something they can deny and create more scandals saying that the previous authorization did not specify Isis. it stinks but i glad Pres. did go tothem because if they try topull something he's covered.
