House Speaker John Boehner says he will support President Obama‘s plan to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, even though he has doubts about its effectiveness.
“I’m not sure that we’re doing all that we can do to defeat this terrorist threat,” the Ohio Republican told reporters Thursday. “If our goal is to eliminate [the Islamic State], there’s a lot of doubt [among House Republicans] whether the plan that was outlined by the president last night is enough to accomplish that mission.”
The speaker’s comments came minutes after House members met privately with administration and military officials to go over the president’s strategy to defeat ISIS.
President Obama, during a televised address Wednesday night, asked the Republican House and the Democratic Senate to approve his plan to provide arms and training to the rebels that have been fighting Syrian strongman Bashar Assad in that country’s civil war. He also has approved airstrikes to target ISIS but has ruled out deploying U.S. ground troops.
But Boehner suggested the strategy should be amped up to reach the goal of defeating the terrorists.
“Airstrikes alone are not going to accomplish what we’re trying to accomplish,” he said. “The president has made clear that he doesn’t want U.S. boots on the ground. Well, somebody’s boots have to be on the ground.
“I do believe that what the president is asking, as the commander in chief, is to fully train these Syrian rebels, and we have to give the president what he is asking for.”
Boehner added that he believes the Syrian rebels are a worthy and competent force that needs U.S. military support.
“Based on all the information that I’ve looked at, the Free Syrian Army has, by and large, been very well vetted by our intelligence officials,” he said. “And they’re about to get run over.”
