The president discussed the military campaign against the Islamic State, and the larger battle against violent extremism, during his State of the Union address.
WASHINGTON — The long-running debate over President Obama’s foreign policy centered Wednesday on a speech to Congress — not the one the president just delivered but one that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel will give in three weeks.
A day after the president’s State of the Union address, Speaker John A. Boehner invited Mr. Netanyahu to address a joint meeting of Congress next month for what would effectively be a rebuttal. In the perennial argument over whether Mr. Obama’s approach to the world is wise or weak, Mr. Netanyahu essentially represents the “weak” case.
The invitation stunned the White House, which called it a breach of protocol, but the surprise move was a sign that Republicans now controlling both houses of Congress intend to use their new majorities to challenge the president not only on domestic policy but also on international affairs. Congressional leaders plan to press their assertion that Mr. Obama does not take the danger posed by Islamic terrorists, Iran or Russia seriously enough.
–
What he did not mention was that Russia still controls Crimea, the peninsula it annexed from Ukraine, and still supports pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine despite a cease-fire. Russia’s economy has indeed taken a huge hit, but so far, Mr. Putin has not backed down.
Indeed, the Ukrainian president, Petro O. Poroshenko, decided to leave early from the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday to rush home after saying more Russian troops had crossed the border.
Emmarie Huetteman contributed reporting.
