Military strikes bombard Syria: Is America at war with Islamic State?
| Washington
The US military moved its bombing campaign into Syria overnight Monday with the goal of destroying Islamic State headquarters and bases. In doing so, has it entered a new war?
The Pentagon鈥檚 actions overnight certainly look a lot like war, though the Pentagon calls it 鈥渕ilitary action鈥� or 鈥渟trikes鈥� against IS, also known as ISIS and ISIL.聽
鈥淚 can confirm that US military and partner nation forces are undertaking military action against ISIL terrorists in Syria using a mix of fighter, bomber, and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles,鈥� Rear Adm. John Kirby, Pentagon Press Secretary, said in a statement released as the campaign began.
This marks a considerable expansion of US operations against IS, and America鈥檚 first foray into Syria鈥檚 raging civil war.聽
By 6 a.m. the Pentagon was sending out video of a guided-missile cruiser, the USS Philippine Sea 鈥� part of the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group 鈥� launching waves of Tomahawk 鈥淟and-Attack鈥� missiles to bombard IS training camps, fighters, and weapons depots.
The Pentagon鈥檚 Director of Operations, Lt. Gen. William Mayville, showed reporters before and after pictures of the ISIL Command and Control Center Raqqa, Syria, bombed by stealth F-22 Raptors.聽
鈥淵ou are seeing the beginning of a sustained campaign, and strikes like this can be expected in the future,鈥� he said.聽
The idea of this being a war actually came up the day before, when reporters quizzed White House spokesman Josh Earnest. One reporter asked about the cost of the war, and Mr. Earnest didn鈥檛 challenge the term.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 heard you use the word 鈥榳ar,鈥� 鈥� the reporter noted to Earnest.聽
鈥淵eah, I have 鈥� a couple of times,鈥� Earnest replied. 鈥淏ut you鈥檙e raising an important issue.鈥�
It is the belief of President Obama 鈥渢hat ISIL has declared war on the broader international community,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd that means that the international community is at war with ISIL and the United States is at war with ISIL in the same way that we鈥檙e at war with Al Qaeda and its affiliates around the globe.鈥澛�
The White House has tended to prefer the more antiseptic phrase 鈥渄egrade and destroy鈥� when explaining the campaign to the American public. 鈥淲e will not get dragged into another ground war,鈥� Mr. Obama has emphasized.聽
This does not, however, preclude other types of war.
If it is a war, does Obama need approval from Congress? Obama said he does not, but that he would 鈥渨elcome鈥� it.聽
While the War Powers Act requires the president to seek congressional approval within 60 days of launching military action, the White house has invoked the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Al Qaeda.
Like the Bush administration, the Obama White House has argued that the AUMF allows the commander in chief to pursue Al Qaeda in order to protect national security. Last night's airstrikes also hit Khorasan, a terrorist group linked with Al Qaeda.聽
The White House has said that the Khorasan group was led by a figure who was once in Osama bin Laden鈥檚 inner circle and was planning attacks that represented an 鈥渋mminent threat鈥� to the homeland.
The lack of debate seems to suit lawmakers heading into midterm elections. 鈥淎 lot of people would like to stay on the sideline and say, 鈥楯ust bomb the place and tell us about it later,鈥� 鈥� Rep. Jack Kingston (R) of Georgia said earlier this month, as he endeavored to push for an authorization vote. 鈥淲e like the path we鈥檙e on now. We can denounce it if it goes bad, and praise it if it goes well and ask what took him so long.鈥�
