Congress’ failure to even debate U.S. military action against Islamic State nine months after air strikes began is scandalous and disrespectful to Americans fighting an undeclared war, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine said on Thursday.
Kaine, a Democratic member of the Foreign Relations Committee, has been an unrelenting critic of Congress’ failure to authorize military force against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, even as a U.S.-led bombing campaign has been in effect since Aug. 8.
In media interviews before a Senate speech on Thursday, Kaine outlined reasons for the delay, including congressional reluctance to take up the matter before elections last November.
“American service members have lost their lives, we’ve spent over $2 billion, 3,300 bombing runs and Congress hasn’t even been willing to talk about this or authorize the military action,” Kaine said on CNN. “This is a big scandal in my view.”
The hinges really have flown off of the world if I find that much common sense in something Tim Kaine says. The “let’s sort of fight but hey let’s not call it a war” approach epitomizes congressional timidity. They’re will to ask some to risk all even as they make sure they’re covering their rear ends. Why have a vote on a war come back to haunt you when you can get by with a wink and no discussion?
It is Kaine’s fellow Democrats who want keep avoiding calling it a war. They play semantics while American troops are fighting.
Now that ISIS has admitted to attacking on U.S. soil in Garland, TX it would be nice if they took this more seriously. Sadly, the Democrats insist that Pamela Geller is the enemy, not ISIS.
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