The bills were introduced by Senator Bill Nelson (D – FL) and Frank Wolf (R – VA), respectively.
The Nelson bill limits the war’s duration to three years, and also rules out any use of ground troops. The Wolf bill does not forbid any use of ground troops, nor does it have a time limit attached.
US President Barack Obama insisted on Sunday that he doesn’t believe he needs a Congressional authorization for the war, and already has the “authorization that I need to protect the American people.” The White House is, however, expressing hope they can get some sort of “buy in” from Congress for the war, so long as it doesn’t asset any actual authority or limit the war’s escalation in any way.
Obama is planning a Wednesday address to lay out more of the details of his planned escalation of the war, and has invited Congressional leaders to meet with him on Tuesday to get a preview.
The White House is also pushing Congress to agree to their previous demands to create a $5 billion “fund” that would train and equip “international partners” in the war, along with providing aid to Syria’s neighbors to cope with the growing refugee crisis.
This is, of course, above and beyond the costs of the war itself.
Takfiri radicals from the ISIL have been wreaking havoc on Syria and Iraq, committing heinous crimes including mass execution of civilians and armed forces in the areas they have under control in the two neighboring countries.
A recent report showed the ISIL has been using US arms which were sent to Syria militants to overthrow the government of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
ISIL currently control parts of eastern Syria and Iraq’s northern and western regions.
They have threatened all communities, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians, Izadi Kurds and others, as they continue their atrocities in Iraq.
SHI/SHI