The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee on Sunday sharply criticized President Obama’s lack of a strategy to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Speaking on “Fox News Sunday,” Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) said statements from the White House last week that it does not yet have a firm strategy on ISIS are indicative of the Obama administration’s foreign policy failures.
{mosads}“We find it consistent with his past policy and actions on foreign policy,” Rogers told host Chris Wallace. “It shows, and I think exemplifies, that his foreign policy is in free fall.”
As further examples, Rogers brought up problems with Russia, Iran and North Korea, all of which, he said, show major foreign policy failures.
“Our traditional allies are now standing up saying ‘well, maybe America is not the best force to lead us through these troubles,’” Rogers said.
Rogers, who is not running for reelection, said Obama decided against helping Arab League countries fight ISIS years ago, when they asked for intelligence and coordination support.
“There had been plans on the table, but the president just did not want to get engaged in any way,” he said. “That is a decision, that is a policy, that is a strategy. And it’s not working.”
Obama plans to speak with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders this week in Wales about how to fight ISIS, and top Cabinet officials are traveling to the Middle East to meet with allies there.
But Rogers said those actions are too little, too late.
“Three years ago, we had really good options in Syria and how to stop their pooling in the east and going into Iraq,” he said. “Two years ago, we had better options, not great options. Today, our options are far more limited, far more dangerous, and will call for far more engagement.”