President Barack Obama has sent a letter to Congress requesting a resolution that will grant him authority to use military force against ISIS. In an effort to placate opponents of military intervention in both parties, the administration has hedged the request by including language that restricts “enduring offensive ground forces” and limits any intervention to three years. He sent a letter with the request promising Congress that he would not authorize “long-term, large scale ground combat operations” as occurred in Iraq or Afghanistan. With that language, he then does ask for authorization to use ground troops.
There is no reason not to take Obama at his word with what would be the first authorization for the use of force since 2002 when President George W. Bush requested this to conduct strikes against Iraq. Obama has usually been hesitant to use large-scale force unless it is absolutely necessary to protect the nation’s interest, and he has shown a clear preference for other methods of combatting terrorism — from the use of targeted drone air wars to diplomatic initiatives. Obama, who came into office railing against Bush’s use of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, both of which he has drawn down, is not eager to jump into another major conflict.
Yet the history of these kinds of resolutions should give Congress pause.
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