Weighing Obama's Iraq strikes
- 10 years ago
As militants threaten religious minorities in Iraq, lawmakers in Washington are wrangling over how to respond.
Last week, Obama launched a campaign of U.S. air strikes and humanitarian air drops in the north, where Islamic State militants -- formerly known as ISIL or ISIS -- are threatening religious minorities.
He also insisted that sending U.S. ground troops was off the table.
Republicans have slammed Obama's intervention as ineffective, and are calling for a more aggressive approach.
But speaking on CBS's "Face the Nation", Democratic Senator from Rhode Island, Jack Reed, backed the president.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) DEMOCRATIC SENATOR JACK REED FROM RHODE ISLAND SAYING:
"Well, what has been accomplished is, we have been able to destroy some heavy artillery that ISIS has that is threatening Kurdish forces. We have also been able to disrupt their lines of communication, some of the convoys."
Former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, James Jeffrey, said t
Last week, Obama launched a campaign of U.S. air strikes and humanitarian air drops in the north, where Islamic State militants -- formerly known as ISIL or ISIS -- are threatening religious minorities.
He also insisted that sending U.S. ground troops was off the table.
Republicans have slammed Obama's intervention as ineffective, and are calling for a more aggressive approach.
But speaking on CBS's "Face the Nation", Democratic Senator from Rhode Island, Jack Reed, backed the president.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) DEMOCRATIC SENATOR JACK REED FROM RHODE ISLAND SAYING:
"Well, what has been accomplished is, we have been able to destroy some heavy artillery that ISIS has that is threatening Kurdish forces. We have also been able to disrupt their lines of communication, some of the convoys."
Former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, James Jeffrey, said t