Senator Blunt's Response To President Obama's Speech On ISIL
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), who serves as a member of the defense authorizing and appropriations committees, released the following statement tonight in response to President Barack Obama’s speech on ISIL:
“As the nation prepares to mark the thirteenth anniversary of the deadly terrorist attacks on 9/11, we are reminded that the threat to our nation from terrorist groups like ISIL is still very real, and because of a new base in Syria and Iraq, that threat is potentially even more dangerous today.
“While I believe the president has the authority to respond to this threat under congressional action from 2001, I also believe he could have benefited from coming to Congress with a more specific plan and asking Congress to reaffirm that authority.
“Like the rest of the nation, I will be watching closely for what actions the president ultimately takes. If left unchecked, the danger posed by ISIL could easily produce a significant threat to the United States. This group is not a ‘manageable problem’ as the president described it last week. But instead, it matches his description today of a group that must be defeated. I hope the president’s plan and his resolve can meet the goal of defeating this enemy.”