This is a group that conducts mass murder.
Is the President steadfast in having a goal that includes Mr. Assad being removed from power?
Most will agree that there can be no future for Syria with Assad in power.
The fact is that what matters is that the strategy is failing.
Moderate Syrian Opposition forces require significant external support if they are to generate the required combat power...
The option of Coalition boots on the ground should be retained as we seek to build our understanding of opposition group...
It's just not supposed to be that way.
This appearance of success only enhances ISIL's ability to radicalize, recruit, and grow.
Many of us believe that the goal the President laid out, quote, "to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL" is right.
If you're not winning in this kind of warfare, you are losing. Stalemate is not success.
We do not want to have a debate and vote because we do not want to put our names on it.
Congress to this point has decided that the budget caps enacted in August 2011 is a higher national priority than defeat...
I think the real reason is, we don't have the backbone to take it up and do the job that Congress is supposed to do.
Ultimately, it's not that we are doing nothing to counter ISIL, it is that there is no compelling reason to believe that...
There has not been a declaration of war, there's not been an authorization for use of military force.
If the President had not started a bombing campaign on August 8th near Irbil, we might not be here today.
We've been at war since August 8.
I do not believe that there is any reasonable prospect that it will be possible to retake Mosul this year.
