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| Despite ISIS Horror, Congress Is Wary of U.S. Military Expansion | Despite ISIS Horror, Congress Is Wary of U.S. Military Expansion |
| (4 days later) | |
| WASHINGTON — For weeks, Capitol Hill has tried to keep America’s military engagement in Iraq at arm’s length: Democrats and Republicans warily backed President Obama’s limited airstrikes against Sunni militants, but nobody — aside from Senator John McCain and a few fellow hawks — demonstrated an appetite for deeper involvement. | |
| Now, though, the gruesome execution of an American journalist, James Foley, has drawn an intensely emotional reaction from lawmakers in both parties, with many issuing statements condemning the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the group responsible for Mr. Foley’s killing, and some urging Mr. Obama to redouble the fight against it. | Now, though, the gruesome execution of an American journalist, James Foley, has drawn an intensely emotional reaction from lawmakers in both parties, with many issuing statements condemning the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the group responsible for Mr. Foley’s killing, and some urging Mr. Obama to redouble the fight against it. |
| There were signs on Thursday that the Obama administration is weighing that, with the White House and the Pentagon refusing to rule out military action against the group in Syria. But far from satisfying Congress, a wider conflict could put lawmakers, particularly Democrats, in a difficult position, since most deeply oppose any new war in the Middle East. | There were signs on Thursday that the Obama administration is weighing that, with the White House and the Pentagon refusing to rule out military action against the group in Syria. But far from satisfying Congress, a wider conflict could put lawmakers, particularly Democrats, in a difficult position, since most deeply oppose any new war in the Middle East. |
| “Most Democrats and Republicans are extraordinarily wary of being sucked into a large occupation, both because it will kill a lot of Americans and because we saw in Iraq the last time that it didn’t work,” said Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California and a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. | “Most Democrats and Republicans are extraordinarily wary of being sucked into a large occupation, both because it will kill a lot of Americans and because we saw in Iraq the last time that it didn’t work,” said Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California and a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. |
| Mr. Schiff was among those who expressed horror at Mr. Foley’s killing, saying, “Seldom is the descriptor ‘evil’ applied with perfect accuracy as it is with this monstrous group.” | Mr. Schiff was among those who expressed horror at Mr. Foley’s killing, saying, “Seldom is the descriptor ‘evil’ applied with perfect accuracy as it is with this monstrous group.” |
| His fellow California Democrat, Senator Dianne Feinstein, has called for “coordinated and sustained action” to defeat the militants. “Only then can we reverse ISIL’s rise and eliminate this very dangerous terrorist threat,” she said, using an alternative name for the group. | His fellow California Democrat, Senator Dianne Feinstein, has called for “coordinated and sustained action” to defeat the militants. “Only then can we reverse ISIL’s rise and eliminate this very dangerous terrorist threat,” she said, using an alternative name for the group. |
| A growing number of Republicans are criticizing Mr. Obama for not doing more. Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, said, “President Obama continues to appear unwilling to do what is necessary to confront ISIL and communicate clearly to the American people about the threat ISIL poses to our country and to our way of life.” | A growing number of Republicans are criticizing Mr. Obama for not doing more. Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, said, “President Obama continues to appear unwilling to do what is necessary to confront ISIL and communicate clearly to the American people about the threat ISIL poses to our country and to our way of life.” |
| Representative Mike Pompeo, a Kansas Republican who is also a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said: “The president’s current path of action has been far too limited to make a difference. We must do what is necessary to eliminate ISIS, protect the innocent, and keep Americans safe.” | Representative Mike Pompeo, a Kansas Republican who is also a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said: “The president’s current path of action has been far too limited to make a difference. We must do what is necessary to eliminate ISIS, protect the innocent, and keep Americans safe.” |
| But few of these Republicans have laid out exactly what they want Mr. Obama to do to intensify the battle. Even conducting airstrikes in Syria would be a politically fraught step. | But few of these Republicans have laid out exactly what they want Mr. Obama to do to intensify the battle. Even conducting airstrikes in Syria would be a politically fraught step. |
| The last time the president sought to put military action in Syria to a congressional vote — a missile strike after Syria’s chemical weapons attacks last year — he faced an overwhelming defeat that he avoided only by seizing on an alternative Russian diplomatic proposal. | The last time the president sought to put military action in Syria to a congressional vote — a missile strike after Syria’s chemical weapons attacks last year — he faced an overwhelming defeat that he avoided only by seizing on an alternative Russian diplomatic proposal. |
| Little has changed in Congress since, even if a vote to use military action in response to an attack on Americans would naturally draw more support than intervening in a distant civil war. | Little has changed in Congress since, even if a vote to use military action in response to an attack on Americans would naturally draw more support than intervening in a distant civil war. |
| “This horrendous event has got a lot of folks in Congress talking,” Representative Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat, said of the killing of Mr. Foley, “but it doesn’t give us a license to ignore the lessons of George W. Bush in Iraq.” | “This horrendous event has got a lot of folks in Congress talking,” Representative Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat, said of the killing of Mr. Foley, “but it doesn’t give us a license to ignore the lessons of George W. Bush in Iraq.” |
| Mr. Schiff said he was concerned that the White House had already broadened the mission beyond the limited purposes outlined by Mr. Obama two weeks ago — conducting airstrikes to support Iraqi forces in recapturing the Mosul Dam, for example. | Mr. Schiff said he was concerned that the White House had already broadened the mission beyond the limited purposes outlined by Mr. Obama two weeks ago — conducting airstrikes to support Iraqi forces in recapturing the Mosul Dam, for example. |
| On Thursday, a day after disclosing that the Pentagon had mounted a fruitless rescue operation in Syria for Mr. Foley and other American hostages, the White House indicated it would not rule out further military action in Syria if there was a threat to Americans. | On Thursday, a day after disclosing that the Pentagon had mounted a fruitless rescue operation in Syria for Mr. Foley and other American hostages, the White House indicated it would not rule out further military action in Syria if there was a threat to Americans. |
| “We would not restrict ourselves by geographic boundaries when it comes to the core mission of U.S. foreign policy, which is the protection of our people,” Benjamin J. Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser, said in an interview with NPR. | “We would not restrict ourselves by geographic boundaries when it comes to the core mission of U.S. foreign policy, which is the protection of our people,” Benjamin J. Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser, said in an interview with NPR. |
| Some Republicans aimed their fire at the administration’s disclosure of the raid. Mr. McCain suggested that the White House was trying to reap credit for helping the hostages, while Representative Howard McKeon of California, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, called for an investigation into who leaked it. | Some Republicans aimed their fire at the administration’s disclosure of the raid. Mr. McCain suggested that the White House was trying to reap credit for helping the hostages, while Representative Howard McKeon of California, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, called for an investigation into who leaked it. |
| Even before Mr. Foley’s killing, some analysts argued that the drumbeat of criticism from neoconservatives had accelerated the momentum toward military action, as evidenced by the president’s decision last month to send 300 military advisers to Iraq. | Even before Mr. Foley’s killing, some analysts argued that the drumbeat of criticism from neoconservatives had accelerated the momentum toward military action, as evidenced by the president’s decision last month to send 300 military advisers to Iraq. |
| “Obama himself is pretty good in resisting those pressures, but not completely,” said Stephen M. Walt, a professor of international affairs at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School. | “Obama himself is pretty good in resisting those pressures, but not completely,” said Stephen M. Walt, a professor of international affairs at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School. |
| For his part, the president did not signal a shift in his strategy, even as he condemned the militants who killed Mr. Foley for having no “ideology of any value to human beings.” | For his part, the president did not signal a shift in his strategy, even as he condemned the militants who killed Mr. Foley for having no “ideology of any value to human beings.” |
| “The United States of America will continue to do what we must do to protect our people,” Mr. Obama said on Wednesday. “We will be vigilant and we will be relentless. When people harm Americans, anywhere, we do what’s necessary to see that justice is done.” | “The United States of America will continue to do what we must do to protect our people,” Mr. Obama said on Wednesday. “We will be vigilant and we will be relentless. When people harm Americans, anywhere, we do what’s necessary to see that justice is done.” |
| Some analysts said that while Mr. Foley’s death dramatized the murderous intent of the militants — and brought the conflict much closer to home than a threat to an unfamiliar religious minority like the Yazidi — it did not remove the hurdles to a more widespread military campaign. | Some analysts said that while Mr. Foley’s death dramatized the murderous intent of the militants — and brought the conflict much closer to home than a threat to an unfamiliar religious minority like the Yazidi — it did not remove the hurdles to a more widespread military campaign. |
| “I just don’t see it rising to a casus belli — or at least as a cause for a much larger military effort,” said Kenneth M. Pollack, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “It is awful and it should remind us of who we are dealing with, and not have any illusions about that. But the political and military realities of Iraq and Syria remain unchanged.” | “I just don’t see it rising to a casus belli — or at least as a cause for a much larger military effort,” said Kenneth M. Pollack, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “It is awful and it should remind us of who we are dealing with, and not have any illusions about that. But the political and military realities of Iraq and Syria remain unchanged.” |
| Those realities, Mr. Pollack said, are that the United States needs a reliable military partner in Iraq. In Syria, where Mr. Obama has provided nonlethal aid to moderate rebels but shunned military intervention, it would require an even bigger about-face. | Those realities, Mr. Pollack said, are that the United States needs a reliable military partner in Iraq. In Syria, where Mr. Obama has provided nonlethal aid to moderate rebels but shunned military intervention, it would require an even bigger about-face. |
| “I don’t think Barack Obama is going to shift gears despite bipartisan demands,” Mr. Pollack said, “and I am not convinced that the Foley killing is a reason to do so.” | “I don’t think Barack Obama is going to shift gears despite bipartisan demands,” Mr. Pollack said, “and I am not convinced that the Foley killing is a reason to do so.” |