In a debate on CNN this afternoon between Jay Carney and Bill Kristol, the former White House spokesman conceded that in fact there will be “boots on the ground” fighting the Islamic State.
“You can’t imagine the fight against ISIS going in such a way that we would say, you know what, this thing is on the cusp and we need to send in 3,000 or 5,000 U.S. combat ground troops to win this thing?” Kristol asked Carney.
Carney replied, “Well, again, that would be saying specifically only 5,000, not 5,005–”
“No it wouldn’t,” said Kristol. “It would be leaving the option open, which is what a serious commander in chief does.”
“I think the shorthand that a lot of people use about no boots on the ground is semantically problematic because obviously there will be American military personnel with their boots on the ground,” Carney claimed.
Later in the conversation, host Jake Tapper reminded Carney: “Jay, you don’t work for the White House anymore. You can be frank.”
