Wendy Sherman: “We ought to focus on what is the appropriate foreign policy and what is the appropriate role in Congress. I rise in…”

“We ought to focus on what is the appropriate foreign policy and what is the appropriate role in Congress. I rise in support of this amendment. In fact, the amendment is quite similar to the Free Syria Act, which was introduced by several of us, under the leadership of Eliot Engel, a year and a half ago. That approach of vetting appropriate Syrian forces and of providing training was a good but difficult policy then. It is a good and even more difficult policy now. We have to vet those we train, and it should only be certain elements of the Free Syrian Army in that we should only cooperate with those who are not only going to stand up for the Sunni majority but protect the Christian and Alawite minorities, and we have to arm only those who are strong enough and careful enough not to lose the weapons we give them to more extremist forces. This arming of the Syrian rebels is part of an overall plan that will include American military action. There is general agreement of no boots on the ground or at least of no boots on the front lines, but let us speak honestly to the American people. The American people are asking for a guaranteed, successful plan that would provide the immediate and total destruction of ISIS, with very few or no American casualties. Such a plan cannot be created. Instead, the policy that this amendment is part of will contain and weaken and punish ISIS and keep limited American casualties, and hopefully avoid them altogether.…”