Rep. Lee Zeldin on President's Address

Statement

Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, C -- NY-1), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement following President Obama's address tonight:

"If ISIS is the JV team, President Obama is riding the bench at T-Ball today.

Now is not the time for a lecture or deflection from the President.

A muslim couple who were ISIS sympathizers just committed the largest ISIS inspired terrorist attack on American soil ever. They had 12 pipe bombs and an IED factory in their possession. It's important to point out that that's pretty darn illegal already.

ISIS must be wiped off the face of the earth. The liberals in government and in the media just absolutely refuse to get to the heart of that reality and confront it head on. Their losing approach is the greatest victory that this terror group has achieved thus far in America. The President and his minions in Congress want to talk about anything else at all. So instead of trying to defeat people who want to kill them they instead want to try to defeat politically individuals who want to kill ISIS.

If we do not defeat ISIS overseas, a group that cannot be contained, we will be facing the threat more and more at home. Radical Islamic extremism must be destroyed. Right now we do not have a plan to win. We are running in place at best. This isn't about trying to take out some of the bad guys and disrupting some of their command and control. This is about annihilating the threat.

If we want to pursue related domestic priorities, it should start by fixing our visa waiver program and stopping the influx of Syrian refugees. That may not sound PC, but this is about securing our country, not winning the hearts and minds of the most out of touch bleeding heart liberal in our country.

As far as our strategy overseas, another disappointing game being played is telling the American people that there will be no boots on the ground while placing boots on the ground at the same exact time. This shouldn't be about what rhetoric best serves domestic politics. This should be about which actions best serve our national security. Set up our troops to win or do not send them at all. Give their commanders the flexibility and resources to accomplish the mission. Don't limit the rules of engagement to tie their hands behind their back. We can and must win this effort. It's time to turn this around."

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