Congress has uncovered some shocking information about the Obama administration’s strategy for fighting ISIS: during 75% of the missions flown by US pilots against the Islamic State, they were expressly prohibited from dropping their loads on the enemy.
This staggering lack of action stems from President Obama’s unwillingness to entertain even minimal civilian causalities in the battle against ISIS, telling military officials who said that there is always collateral damage in war, “No, you don’t understand. I want no civilian casualities. Zero.”
This incomprehensible policy came to light in a hearing arranged by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA). Grilling administration and military officials, Royce voiced his confusion over how we have been bombing ISIS for over a year now, and yet the group seems more active than ever.
After learning the reason why that was the case, he could only express disdain. “I don’t understand this strategy at all because this is what has allowed ISIS the advantage and ability to recruit,” he told the committee.
For more about Obama’s blocking of anti-ISIS airstrikes, turn to the next page:
In a shameful display of partisan obstruction, the Mitch McConnell led Senate Republicans a blocked a bill that would have improved veterans benefits.
Senate Republicans blocked the veterans bill by using a procedural maneuver to invoke the 60 vote rule. The final vote to waive the budget point of order failed, 56-41. Only two Republicans (Sen. Dean Heller and Sen. Jerry Moran) joined with Democrats on the vote.
Republicans claimed that they blocked the bill because Majority Leader Harry Reid would not allow an up or down vote on an amendment that would have attached sanctions on Iran to the bill.
Sen. Reid said, “I hope all the veterans groups have witnessed all the contortions the Republicans have done to defeat this bill. Shame on Republicans for bringing base politics into a bill to help veterans.”
The chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Sen. Bernie Sanders, said,
The only message that can be taken away from today’s vote is that Senate Republicans think it is more important to deny President Obama a “win” than it is to help our nation’s veterans. The bill contained provisions that would restore the COLA for vets, and protect them from losing their benefits in the event of another government shutdown. It also would have authorized the construction of 27 new clinics and medical facilities, and it would have provided tuition assistance to post-9/11 vets.
It is the kind of legislation that used to be a no brainer, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the same group of Republicans who think that they shouldn’t have to pay the nation’s bills also want to renege on their obligations to our veterans.
Senate Republicans committed a disgraceful betrayal of the promise that has been made to those who put their lives on the line for this country. I hope this is a wake up call for vets who think that the Republican Party has their interests at heart.
The Republican Party doesn’t care about veterans. This vote stabbed veterans in the back, and should make every vet question why they would ever vote Republican.
nothing new and mcconnell no gop he is a rino a true traitor to the party
Maybe US pilots should air strike obama.
He is the leader
Of course! How can he attack his own people?
We no …
HE’s pathetic!
they should target the Black House !
Their his TEAM after all. People with more than 2 Brain cells, know what side he is on. What is unbelievable, is that one person can destroy a Country of 350,000,000, and be allowed to do it.
Wasting time and assets provided them the opportunity to expand, hopefully Putin degrades their ability to do any more damage!!!