House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Friday he believes the United States will have to do more to defeat Islamic terrorists in the Middle East than conducting airstrikes and training Syrian rebels.
Writing in USA Today, McCarthy, R-Calif., said he believes deployment of U.S. special military forces may be needed to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and other terrorist groups.
“Certainly we will not reoccupy Iraq, but some special operations forces may be necessary to supplement our airpower and augment the capabilities of moderate indigenous forces we want to see ascendant when the smoke clears,” McCarthy wrote. “We must not take options off the table against a brutal and determined enemy.”
McCarthy’s view appears at odds with House Democrats, who say they oppose the deployment of any U.S. combat troops to fight the Islamic State threat. President Obama has also repeatedly pledged that he will not send in ground forces other than to train the Syrians.
About 1,000 U.S. troops are currently positioned in Iraq, serving as advisers.
Congress cleared legislation Thursday authorizing the president to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels to fight against the Islamic State.
The vote drew bipartisan opposition for lawmakers who either oppose new military involvement in Iraq and Syria or believe the training mission does not go far enough to combat the Islamic State.
McCarthy said in Friday’s op-ed that the U.S. needs to combat the terrorist threat by “recommitting ourselves to winning the war in Afghanistan,” where the Taliban and al Qaeda are on the offensive.
Congress this week adjourned ahead of the Nov. 4 election and will return mid-November. It’s likely that Congress could take up a new authorization measure addressing the use of military force in the Middle East.
