Get Congress to authorize war on ISIS

WASHINGTON — President Obama should call Congress back to Washington for a special session to vote on authorizing war against the Islamic State. If he does not, Congress should return on its own to conduct this vital debate.

Do your jobs, everybody.

As legal justification for the war, Obama relies on two measures, passed more than a decade ago, that authorized U.S. military action against al-Qaida and the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. To state the blindingly obvious, things have changed.

The Islamic State is not al-Qaida. While the 2001 authorization for war against Osama bin Laden’s terrorist group encompasses “associated forces,” al-Qaida refuses to have anything to do with the Islamic State. And the 2003 authorization for war in Iraq — targeting a government that no longer exists — says not a solitary word about airstrikes in Syria.

Whether Obama has the right to bomb targets in Syria is also questionable under international law, but leave this aside for the moment. The president has made a long-term, open-ended pledge to “degrade and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State. He promises there will be no U.S. combat troops on the ground but uses the narrowest possible definitions of “combat,” “troops” and “ground.”

This is a commitment made on behalf of the nation, with no sense of when it might end and no guarantee of success. In an interview broadcast Sunday on “60 Minutes,” Obama said he believes “we’ve got a campaign plan that has a strong chance for success in Iraq” — provided the Iraqi army puts sectarian differences aside and fights effectively, which hasn’t happened thus far. And as iffy as those prospects in Iraq may sound, the president acknowledged that “Syria is a more challenging situation.”

Asked whether airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria would inevitably bolster Bashar al-Assad and his bloody regime, Obama replied, “I recognize the contradiction in a contradictory land and a contradictory circumstance.”

In other words, two tenets of U.S. policy — Assad must go, the Islamic State must be destroyed — are directly at odds. Obama said the terrorist group is “a more immediate concern that has to be dealt with.” But he also said that “we are not going to stabilize Syria under the rule of Assad.”

“We” are talking about stabilizing Syria? “We” as in the international coalition Obama has marshaled, none of whose members want to send ground troops? “We” as in the “moderate” Syrian rebels who have been overwhelmed on the battlefield by the Islamic State? “We” as in the United States?

These are the questions that Congress should ask in open debate. Article I of the Constitution clearly gives Congress the authority to declare war. I am not being starry-eyed or naive; I realize there has been no formal U.S. declaration of war since 1942. Presidents from Harry Truman through Obama have sent U.S. troops into harm’s way by relying on congressional authorizations or U.N. Security Council resolutions. In this case, as I see it, Obama has neither.

Congress is in recess until Nov. 12, after the midterm election. House Speaker John Boehner has said he believes Obama has the right to wage this war under the 2001 and 2003 authorization measures, although he has also said that Congress should take up the issue at some point. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he plans to get to work on a new authorization, one of these days.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and a few other lawmakers have argued forcefully that congressional action is required, but theirs are lonely voices.

Why such passivity and lassitude? Because neither Republicans nor Democrats want to join Obama out on this limb, even if they agree broadly with what he is doing. Some hawks believe ground troops may be needed, but know this is something voters do not want. Some doves want ground troops to be prohibited. It would be difficult for leaders in both chambers to forge consensus.

Obama, like his predecessors, is loath to cede any of the war-making power the presidency has accumulated over the years. And he doubtless recalls that the last time he asked Congress to authorize airstrikes in Syria — as punishment for Assad’s use of chemical weapons — lawmakers balked.

Ultimately, though, it is the nation that endures the sacrifices of war, not just the president. No decision is more consequential. Inconvenient though it may be, Obama and Congress should do their duty.

Email eugenerobinson@washpost.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

toon
Editorial cartoons for Friday, March 29

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Initiative promoter Tim Eyman takes a selfie photo before the start of a session of Thurston County Superior Court, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Olympia, Wash. Eyman, who ran initiative campaigns across Washington for decades, will no longer be allowed to have any financial control over political committees, under a ruling from Superior Court Judge James Dixon Wednesday that blasted Eyman for using donor's contributions to line his own pocket. Eyman was also told to pay more than $2.5 million in penalties. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Editorial: Initiative fee increase protects process, taxpayers

Bumped up to $156 from $5, the increase may discourage attempts to game the initiative process.

Schwab: Who was Langerhans? And when’s the ferry to his islets?

The Herald’s resident retired surgeon slices into the anatomy of the etymology of our anatomy.

Comment: Cervial cancer treatable; if you’re screened for it

A screening for cervical cancer can detect cancerous or precancerous cells and direct treatment.

Comment: Framers gave us Goldilocks Constitution; let’s use it

It was meant to be resilient, not perfect, but it has to be used as designed toward workable solutions.

Comment: GOP in Congress isn’t fighting crime; it’s arming it

Budget cuts to the FBI and ATF and other riders have made it easier for criminals to get firearms.

Washington state senators and representatives along with Governor Inslee and FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez break ground at the Swift Orange Line on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Editorial: Community Transit making most of Link’s arrival

The Lynnwood light rail station will allow the transit agency to improve routes and frequency of buses.

An image of Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin is reflected in a storefront window during the State of the City Address on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at thee Everett Mall in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Editorial: State of city address makes case for Everett’s future

Mayor Franklin outlines challenges and responses as the city approaches significant decisions.

FILE - The massive mudslide that killed 43 people in the community of Oso, Wash., is viewed from the air on March 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
Editorial: Mapping landslide risks honors those lost in Oso

Efforts continue in the state to map areas prone to landslides and prevent losses of life and property.

Protecting forests and prevent another landslide like Oso

Thank you for the powerful and heartbreaking article about the Oso landslide… Continue reading

Boeing’s downfall started when engineers demoted

Boeing used to be run by engineers who made money to build… Continue reading

Learn swimming safety to protect kids at beach, pool

Don’t forget to dive into water safety before hitting the pool or… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.