MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript: Military Engagement with ISIS

Interview

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MATTHEWS: I`m joined right now by U.S. Congressman Scott Perry, Republican
of Pennsylvania. Congressman Perry, this is a tough one, but would you
support the authorization for us of military force against ISIS as it`s
been written today by the president?

REP. SCOTT PERRY (R), PENNSYLVANIA: Well, I don`t know if I`d support it
as written, Chris, but I think -- I certainly think it`s time to update the
authorization of the use of force. I don`t think they were ever meant to
go into perpetuity forever, as it seems they have. So I do support an
authorization of the use of force, but I have questions, and I think many
Republicans and Democrats have legitimate questions.

And I think the president even -- he even kind of implied that that was
going to be case and we were going to have a responsible conversation about
the use of force and actually make it better. So with that, that`s kind of
my position at this point.

MATTHEWS: Well, he seemed to build a wall on his leftward side this time,
his dovish side, by telling the doves, Look, it`s not going to be an
enduring combat operation.

PERRY: Right.

MATTHEWS: Do you have some concern on the other side, on the Republican or
conservative side, that there`s not enough stretch to this thing and not
enough width, bandwidth to get something done?

PERRY: Yes, I think there is some question about the term "enduring." You
know, what does that mean? And to some people, it means it`s a limitation.
To others, it mean it could be wide open and it leaves it up to conjecture.

And from my standpoint, while we`re looking at ISIS, what about Khorasan?
And what about Boko Haram? And what about AQAP and all these different
district (ph) groups that -- you know, today it`s ISIS, but tomorrow it`s
going to be somebody else. And so is it too limiting? This is an
ideology. You know, it transcends borders...

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: They still have the 2001 document he`s not going to get rid of,
which is pretty -- pretty inclusive, isn`t it, according to your concerns?

PERRY: That`s exactly right. And quite honestly, the president already
said he`s got the article 2 power. So maybe this is an unnecessary -- at
all, but you know...

MATTHEWS: I think that`s a good point.

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: I bet he`d argue that point, if he has to.

PERRY: Well, I agree. I think he would argue it, and I think he`s already
said it. So that, you know, I think he`s coming to the Congress for
validation. And you know, listen, I think is an appropriate discussion to
have, but I don`t necessarily believe that what he sent is ready for
primetime, and Congress has to do its part.

MATTHEWS: Well, let`s look at here -- the speaker had today -- he had to
say about the president`s strategy, or lack that (ph) of, to defeat ISIS.
So far, he seemed to not believe there is such a strategy. This is a good
argument, and I want you to respond to what the speaker says. Let`s watch.

PERRY: OK.

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MATTHEWS: Congressman, same question I asked Senator Manchin of West
Virginia. How do you connect our hatred of what these people have been
doing to their prisoners over there -- burning somebody alive, a good
soldier, killing one of the American women -- whatever way they did it,
they killed her. And yet we`re limiting ourselves to helping their
Jordanian air force, maybe helping what there is of the Iraqi army, helping
the Kurds, as always, maybe having the Free Syrian Army somehow get
equipped to fight and trained. But it doesn`t seem like our emotions are
backed up by our actions. It doesn`t seem to be enough there. My
thinking. Yours? What are yours?

PERRY: My thoughts exactly. With all due respect to the speaker, I think
what we see from the president is some aspirational goals, right, an
objective. We want to defeat ISIS. We want to destroy ISIS. But that`s
not a strategy. That`s where you want to end up, but he hasn`t laid out
the points about how we get there.

He hasn`t talked about the financial implications, the diplomatic
implications, how we get the other nations in the neighborhood, get their
soldiers, get their -- you know, get their lives engaged and involved
because they have the most to lose. That`s what a strategy includes, and
quite honestly, we haven`t seen that from the president on the greater
issue of terrorism, of ISIS, or on Syria, which is right next door. What
happens when we`re done with ISIS and we end up in Syria with Assad?
What`s the plan?

MATTHEWS: And you`re a military man, right?

PERRY: I served in Iraq, yes, sir.

MATTHEWS: I know that. That`s why I wanted you to say so. Thank you for
your service, sir. Anyway...

PERRY: Thank you, sir.

MATTHEWS: ... United States Congressman Scott Perry of Pennsylvania.

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