Loebsack With President on ISIS…to a Point

Congressman Dave Loebsack says congress should vote on whether the U.S. escalates its military response against Islamic militants who’ve seized portions of Iraq and Syria.

There will be a vote next week on the amount of money to be spent on the effort.  Loebsack, who is a Democrat from Iowa City, says that vote should take place before November’s election, but he does not yet know whether he’d vote to support the president’s new objectives in the region.

Last night President Obama delivered a prime-time address to the nation and announced he was authorizing air strikes into Syria. Loebsack says he’s “very concerned” about that move.  According to Loebsack, it will be difficult to identify the radical and the moderate forces within Syria.  Loebsack is the only member of Iowa’s congressional delegation who serves on the House Armed Services Committee.

Today (Thursday) Loebsack and other House members will get a briefing from Obama Administration officials with more details.

President Obama said there should be “no mistake” about America’s willingness to go after Islamic State militants “on either side” of the Syrian border. Obama Administration officials say the congressional vote taken 13 years ago — right after the September 11th attacks — gives the president authority to order air strikes in Syria, so another congressional vote is not necessary. However, Obama is asking congress to authorize spending half a billion dollars to help train and arm rebels fighting the Islamic State. The president also said a coalition of countries would join the effort “to ensure the United States is not acting alone.”