Some House Democrats are uncertain what to think ahead of President Obama’s speech on the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria Wednesday night.
Outspoken Florida Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson said the president has a tough job in his speech.
“There is a certain irony in the fact that last year we were being told we should bomb Syria, which would have helped ISIS, and this year we’re being told we should bomb ISIS, which would help Syria,” he said. “I think people recognize that that’s sort of a confusing situation. We’ll have to see how that all works out in the end.”
Rep. Keith Ellison, a Minnesota Democrat, cautioned against calls for too robust a response.
“We’ve got to cut off the financial flows to them,” he said. “That involves cooperation. That does not involve shooting.”
“It’s unfortunate that some people believe that you have to have some testosterone-fueled response to ISIL in order to effectively stop ISIL.”
Meantime, Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Florida Democrat, said she has concerns about air strikes in Syria.
“The real issue is, who is ISIS?” she said. “If we go and strike ISIS, what are we doing with Assad, but helping him to stay?”
She added that she hopes the U.S. ramps up intelligence operations.
“Suppose you arm the right arm of ISIS,” she said. “That’s why it’s so important that he send extra intelligence — extra CIA, FBI, undercurrent, whoever we have there — to make sure and be certain. Because otherwise we will lift up (Syrian President Bashar) Assad.”
