Political Quotes

“I thank the chairman for yielding me time. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this amendment. The President took an important step in his address to the Nation last week. He said that he is committed to ``degrading and destroying'' ISIL. The President should be commended for evolving from his position last month when he indicated that he didn't think ISIL posed much of a threat to America. Madam Speaker, much, much more must be done. I am concerned that the President isn't fully listening to his military leaders. Reports have emerged indicating that President Obama did not choose to use the recommendations that our military leaders gave him. Specifically, it has been reported that General Lloyd Austin, the top commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, advised the President to send in some Special Operations Forces to advise and assist Iraqi Army units while fighting the militants. Just today, at a Senate hearing, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Martin Dempsey said that the reality of the threat of ISIL might make the hands-off approach that the President is pursuing insufficient to deal with the threat. It is troubling when a Commander in Chief with no military experience chooses to ignore the advice of his military leaders. On one hand, Secretary Hagel has said that we are at war with ISIL.…”