Senator Bob Cocker's response to my letter on ISIS and the US assitsnce to Kurdistan

Dear Dr. Gundi,
 

Thank you for contacting me about the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS). Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.

The rise of the terrorist group ISIS and its ability to take and hold significant territory across Iraq and Syria, including key cities, is of great concern. ISIS fighters have beheaded numerous American and foreign journalists and aid workers and embarked on a campaign to exterminate various minority groups in Iraq, including the Christian and Yazidi populations. ISIS represents a direct and growing threat to U.S. national security and its unchecked growth cannot be ignored—inaction will only lead to greater regional insecurity and threats to our homeland.

The last three years have shown the dangers of doing nothing. The failure to effectively address the crisis in Syria left a power vacuum where ISIS has thrived and more than 200,000 people have died. The crisis now threatens our regional partners and our allies around the world, and has nearly collapsed the Iraqi state. To address this crisis, the United States continues to pursue an air campaign to target ISIS in Iraq and Syria and the administration is enhancing assistance to the Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi Security Forces. I agree with you that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Pershmerga have been steadfast allies in the fight against ISIS, stopping ISIS's advance in northern Iraq. They have proven themselves an important regional partner that deserves greater assistance and recognition.

I believe that the president has the authority as commander-in-chief to respond to immediate threats to the nation, including protecting the country from the threat of a terrorist attack. But conducting a multi-year military campaign against a new enemy in a new country merits its own specific congressional authorization that the president requests, helps move through Congress, and gains the support of the American public. It is irresponsible for the president not to seek explicit authorization from Congress, and will ultimately make a difficult challenge much harder.

There are also bipartisan concerns about the strategy the president has laid out. Thus far, the administration has not acted with any urgency to build a viable ground game in Syria leveraging local and regional assets, nor has the president clarified his intentions with respect to the removal of Bashar al-Asad. It is also clear that the Iranian nuclear negotiations are affecting his calculus in Syria. Until these issues are resolved, our international coalition will rest on a shaky foundation and the president will not achieve his goal of degrading and ultimately defeating ISIS. I will continue to use my position in the U.S. Senate and on the Foreign Relations Committee to press the administration to demonstrate real leadership on this issue, and to restore U.S. credibility in the region. The insight that your letter has provided my staff and me will certainly help us as we work to ensure a strong, agile, and smart response.

Thank you again for your letter. I hope that you will continue to share your thoughts with me throughout my service in the Senate.

Sincerely,

Bob Corker
United States Senator