Kerry to Congress: Don’t rule out U.S. ground war against Islamic State

Don't limit conflict to Iraq and Syria, either, he tells senators

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against ISIL on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 9, 2014. (Yuri Gripas/Reuters)
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against ISIL on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 9, 2014. (Yuri Gripas/Reuters)

Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday asked lawmakers debating legislation to authorize the war against the so-called Islamic State not to rule out the use of U.S. ground troops in combat.

Kerry also indicated that President Barack Obama would prefer to wait for a vote on an authorization for use of military force (AUMF) until Republicans control the Senate.

The work of drafting an AUMF can start “over the course of the next days” but final action should wait until “we come back in early January,” the top American diplomat told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“In the hours, days, and weeks to come, we are determined to work with you, first and foremost to develop an approach that can generate broad, bipartisan support, while ensuring the president has the flexibility he needs to successfully prosecute this effort,” he said.

Democrats and Republicans in Congress have expressed deep skepticism of Obama’s claim that he has full legal authority to wage war on the jihadi group IS, also known as ISIL, under AUMFs passed in 2001 to greenlight the war in Afghanistan or in 2002 to threaten military action against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. For months, the White House has said it would welcome a new AUMF, but has not sent lawmakers legislative text and has done little to guide the process in Congress.

Kerry spelled out what Obama wants  and doesn’t want  from a new AUMF. Most notably, the secretary of state pressed lawmakers not to rule out the use of U.S. ground forces in combat against IS fighters.

“The president has been clear that his policy is that U.S. military forces will not be deployed to conduct ground combat operations,” Kerry began.

“However,” he added, "while we certainly believe this is the soundest policy, and while the president has been clear he's open to clarifications on the use of U.S. combat troops to be outlined in an AUMF, that does not mean we should preemptively bind the hands of the commander-in-chief — or our commanders in the field — in responding to scenarios and contingencies that are impossible to foresee.”

The question of ground troops in combat explains the administration’s preference for postponing the AUMF debate to January, when Republicans will control both houses of Congress. While many Democrats favor an AUMF that would oppose sending American soldiers to fight IS on the ground, Republicans have repeatedly said they do not want to limit the president’s authority in that manner.

CLICK IMAGE for slideshow: This undated file image posted on a militant website on Jan. 4, 2014, which is consistent with other AP reporting, shows Shakir Waheib, a senior member of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), now called the Islamic State group, left, next to a burning police vehicle in Iraq's Anbar Province. (AP Photo via militant website, File)

Waiting until Congress is entirely in Republican hands would also give the GOP some ownership of the policy, potentially insulating the Democratic Party's nominee from criticism in 2016.

Kerry also underlined that the administration does not want an AUMF to impose any geographic limitations on its war on IS.

“We don’t anticipate conducting operations in countries other than Iraq or Syria,” he said. “But to the extent that ISIL poses a threat to American interests and personnel in other countries, we would not want an AUMF to constrain our ability to use appropriate force against ISIL in those locations if necessary. In our view, it would be a mistake to advertise to ISIL that there are safe havens for them outside of Iraq and Syria.”

Further, Kerry signaled that the administration would prefer not to face restrictions on striking forces loyal to Syrian strongman Bashar Assad.

“Do we plan to militarily go against Assad?” asked the committee’s top Republican, Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee.

“Not at this moment, no,” Kerry replied.

Kerry also indicated that Obama does not want the legislation to expire, or “sunset,” before he leaves office.

“We understand, however, the desire of many to avoid a completely open-ended authorization,” he said. The committee’s chairman, Sen. Robert Menendez, D.-N.J., “has suggested a three-year limitation; we support that proposal, subject to provisions for extension that we would be happy to discuss.”

Kerry said that the AUMF should be tailored to IS, associated groups and the threats they pose, but he told lawmakers that a definition of “associated forces” should be broad enough to provide battlefield commanders appropriate flexibility to retaliate if attacked.