We now know that the White House has gone from having no strategy to defeat ISIS (Sept. 2014) to not having a complete strategy to defeat ISIS (June 2015) to boasting a “comprehensive strategy to degrade and destroy” ISIS, the part of which announced today is to deploy up to 450 additional U.S. troops to Anbar, Iraq to train Iraqi Security Forces.
While White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest made it clear that these troops will not serve in a combat role, there’s quite a bit that wasn’t made clear. This is the sort of international operation that needs continual reevaluation and adjustment.
Josh Earnest: Pesident will push his national security team to continually reevaluate the strategy combatting ISIS.
— Fred Lucas (@FredLucasWH) June 10, 2015
Hard to give “real clear” assessment of what is ON the table re: fight against ISIS says Earnest. But large scale ground war is off table
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) June 10, 2015
"I wouldn’t put any sort of timeline on it," White House spox Josh Earnest tells me on retaking Ramadi under new Iraq/ISIS plan
— Julie Davis (@juliehdavis) June 10, 2015
While there’s no timeline to speak of, the White House didn’t appear to hesitate to admit that the next president will certainly be dealing with ISIS too.
Earnest: Next president will have to deal with ISIL. Would expect at least some US military in Iraq will be there when Obama leaves office.
— Fred Lucas (@FredLucasWH) June 10, 2015
One person Earnest called out specifically was House Speaker John Boehner.
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WH's Earnest on fighting ISIL: At some point Speaker of House has to take responsibility for fulling the basic duty of US Congress
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 10, 2015
Earnest gave props to Kaine and Flake on ISIS AUMF but slams Boehner for "ducking the debate."
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) June 10, 2015
"The Speaker of the House needs to take responsibility for fulfilling the basic duty of the United States Congress," -Earnest on ISIS AUMF
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) June 10, 2015
@ChadPergram What does that mean?
— Ronald E. Barnett (@RiverronE) June 10, 2015
@StevenTDennis say the guy who doesn't have a plan
— Jean Tuttle (@waffle721) June 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/scottyp3366/status/608708597678247936
For his part, Boehner said the addition of 450 troops was a step in the right direction, but he’d like to see a real strategy before Congress takes action.
Speaker Boehner: Pres. Obama "has no strategy" to fight ISIS; calls for a strategy to be outlined before authorization for military force.
— ABC News (@ABC) June 10, 2015
Boehner says no one calling for sending addtl 100K troops to Iraq, but "more needs to be happening on the ground" to slow spread of ISIL.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 10, 2015
Referring to ISIL, Boehner says “Stop the spread of this horrible disease.”
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 10, 2015
Boehner on why Congress won't write an AUMF to fight ISIL: We have one commander in chief at a time.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 10, 2015
Boehner on fighting ISIL: An authorization of the use of force should be designed around a strategy where you can win
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 10, 2015
"NO."
Earnest: WH not considering new AUMF despite Boehner's call.— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) June 10, 2015
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