President Obama on Wednesday asked Congress for approval to formally wage war against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
Obama’s three-page resolution attempts to appease Democrats wary of putting more ground troops in the Middle East and Republicans who insist the White House isn’t doing enough to counter violent extremism.
Yet, the president faces an uphill battle to win over lawmakers in both camps.
Obama’s proposal would limit the military authorization to three years and prohibit “enduring offensive combat operations,” an intentionally broad description.
“My administration’s draft AUMF would not authorize long-term, large-scale ground combat operations like those our nation conducted in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Obama insisted. “Local forces, rather than U.S. military forces, should be deployed to conduct such operations.”
Republican and Democratic lawmakers have urged Obama to seek formal approval from Congress for military strikes against the Islamic State launched months ago.
“Although existing statutes provide me with the authority I need to take these actions, I have repeatedly expressed my commitment to working with the Congress to pass a bipartisan authorization for the use of military force against” the Islamic State, Obama wrote. “Consistent with this commitment, I am submitting a draft AUMF that would authorize the continued use of military force to degrade and defeat ISIL.”
Obama will formally outline his request to lawmakers from the White House on Wednesday afternoon.
As a president who campaigned on ending messy wars in the Middle East, Obama has labored to strike the right tone for how best to counter the growing threat posed by the Islamic State.
The president’s legislative push comes just a day after U.S. officials confirmed the death of American hostage Kayla Mueller, who was held by the Islamic State for more than a year.
The ensuing debate from lawmakers over presidential war powers could take months, congressional leadership has said.
And Republicans were quick to highlight concerns over Obama’s push.
“If we are going to defeat this enemy, we need a comprehensive military strategy and a robust authorization, not one that limits our options,” said Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
“While I believe an AUMF against ISIL is important, I have concerns that the president’s request does not meet this standard,” he added.
The White House request would also leave in place the 2001 authorization against al Qaeda, which the Obama administration has cited as justification for its military campaign in Iraq and Syria.
By limiting the latest authorization to three years, Obama would essentially leave it to the next commander in chief to decide how best to fight the Islamic State.
This article was first posted at 9:14 a.m. and has since been updated.
