Defeating the Islamic State
This week, after being back in East Tennessee for the past few weeks meeting so many of you and your neighbors, Congress returned to session. It was great to hear firsthand about the issues facing you and your families, and I thank each and every constituent that came out to one of the events we held during August. Now, we return with several important issues on our plate, with perhaps the most important being the rise of Islamist terrorists around the world.
On Thursday, Americans everywhere will pause and remember the tragedy that occurred thirteen years ago and forever changed this country. September 11, 2001 will always be remembered as a dark day in America’s history, but the unity and resolve that followed those terrorist attacks will serve as reminders that the heart and spirit of the United States of America will remain strong. We were reminded of the threat of terrorism with the murders of American journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, who worked bravely and passionately to shine a light on the complexities of the Middle East for the rest of the world. Their contributions and sacrifices will not soon be forgotten, and as a member of Congress, I will fight to bring the murderers behind their deaths to justice.
The group responsible for these executions, the Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS, is one of our most pressing priorities. As I wrote on August 18, President Obama needs to lead and outline a strategic, cohesive and comprehensive plan for Iraq. While I understand the importance of keeping American troops out of another long-term conflict, there is absolutely no excuse for the President of the United States to stand at a podium and tell the world we have no strategy. Over the weekend, President Obama changed course and said that America would be on offense when it came to this group and vowed the U.S. would ‘hunt down’ extremists.
Tonight, the president will give a primetime speech and finally lay out his plan for moving forward. I hope to hear a couple things from President Obama, but most importantly, I hope this speech will lead to swift action on real solutions.
Unfortunately, we cannot eliminate terrorism, but I believe we can confront and minimize the threat to the United States. We’ve seen the Islamic State in action, and there’s only one solution for people this evil. We must take every reasonable step to defeat and dismantle them, and I am confident we can do this without engaging in another long-term ground war. But we can’t do this alone. This group presents a real threat—not only to the United States, but also to the rest of the world. We must work with our allies to stop these extremists for good.
You can rest assured I will be watching the president’s speech closely, and I stand ready to work with my colleagues in Congress to minimize the power ofISIS and other terrorist organizations.
Feel free to contact my office if we can be of assistance to you or your family. Our contact information can be found on our website, www.roe.house.gov.
