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On February 11, President Obama sent an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) to Congress, which laid out the Administration's plans to defeat ISIS. This proposal would:  last three years; prohibits "enduring offensive ground operations”; authorize "ground combat operations in limited circumstances"; and repeal the previous 2002 AUMF that authorized military operations in Iraq.

Whether Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, Libya or countless other countries, we’re watching the growth of an Islamic extremist terrorist movement that seeks the complete destruction of Western Civilization. We must confront the ideology that fuels ISIS. The horrific execution videos – that we now see regularly – aren’t targeted at us; rather, they serve as effective recruitment tools targeted at those susceptible to this ideology.  We must confront this ideology and give our moderate Arab allies (i.e., Jordan) the assistance they need to confront/combat it. The King of Jordan specifically referenced Washington bureaucracy as one of the impediments to getting the equipment he needs to push back ISIS.

President Obama talks about defeating this enemy, but thus far his actions are incongruent with his words. The President’s proposed AUMF restricts the U.S. military's ability to completely defeat ISIS by imposing certain restrictions - such as the three year time limit and the banning of offensive ground operations. In order to defeat global radical Islamic extremism, the President must produce a comprehensive military strategy with a robust AUMF to get the job done. The authority under which President Obama currently operates in the fight against ISIS is stronger than that in his proposed AUMF; our national security is not best served by tying the hands of this Commander in Chief - or the next.

In addition, President Obama fails to identify the larger threat in his proposed AUMF: radical Islamic extremism. While ISIS presents serious threats to our national security and must be defeated, this group is only one component of the larger global threat of Islamic extremism. At the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism on February 18, 2015, President Obama refused to recognize Islamic extremism as a global threat to our national security.

Our current strategy clearly isn’t working. The Nigerian-based Islamic terror group Boko Haram has announced its intention to join ISIS. The recent beheadings of Coptic Christians in Egypt shows that ISIS is not taking our efforts seriously.  Many citizens, including fellow service members, continue to let me know that they’re increasingly more frustrated and fearful about the effects of the President's lack of leadership. Having served in Iraq, I personally witnessed the courage and sacrifice of our troops who served there. Over the last three years, for many service members, watching America quickly turn its attention away from Iraq and allow ultra-radical jihadist groups to grow rapidly in both Iraq and Syria has been almost unbearable.

We must have a clear objective moving forward and an endgame strategy. ISIS poses a clear threat to the United States, and waiting until they plan - or execute - an attack will cost American lives, which we learned on September 11, 2001, and in Benghazi several years ago. The growth of this Islamic extremist terrorist movement is impacting many different countries and we have the opportunity to lead and galvanize a response.

Nobody’s talking about full-scale American ground operations; rather, our Allies in the region must take the lead here. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has urged the creation of an "Arab Ready Force" to confront the Islamic State and similar groups. But there are things the United States can do – like deploying forward air controllers - to make our strikes more effective. Additionally, we should provide the Kurdish Peshmerga with offensive weaponry, as they’ve proven to be some of the most reliable fighters against ISIS. U.S. intelligence assets also must be used more constructively to identify ISIS leadership locations, command centers, supply points and fielded forces. U.S. air assets combined with aggressive ground operations by a well-equipped Peshmerga and the reconstituted Iraqi Army would result in a more effective campaign against ISIS.

President Obama must recognize that Islamic extremism is a critical threat to U.S. national security, and his proposed AUMF does little to address this threat. Congress must play an active role in the formation of this strategy and I’m committed to developing one that engages our Allies in the region and gives our Armed Forces the tools necessary to defeat this enemy.