Van Hollen Statement on Coalition Air Strikes Against ISIS

Statement

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement on coalition air strikes against ISIS:

"I support the President's decision to organize a coalition of Arab countries to strike key ISIS targets in Syria in response their extremist agenda and threats against the United States, their barbaric actions -- including the beheading of two Americans -- and their military assaults in Iraq and recent attacks to wipe out Syrian Kurdish villages. The strikes also hit an Al Qaeda group, Khorasan, that was actively plotting attacks against America.

"It is time for Congress to step up and revise the 2001 Authorization to Use Military Force in a way that supports the targeted actions underway, but also prevents the deployment of American ground forces that would drag us into another Iraq War. In addition, it is time for Turkey, our NATO ally with its long border with ISIS-controlled parts of Syria, to get into the fight against ISIS. Turkey did not participate in yesterday's coalition. Indeed, over the last two days, the Turks have impeded the ability of Kurdish forces to cross from Turkey into Syria to help stop the ISIS onslaught against the Syrian Kurds in Kobane. The Syrian Kurds have been in the fight against ISIS from the start and Turkey should facilitate, not block, their participation in that fight."

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