Yoho Statement on Obama’s Syria Announcement

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Ted S. Yoho (R-FL-03) released the following statement after President Obama’s announcement on placing U.S. military personnel in Syria.

“Today President Obama announced he was committing U.S. grounds troops to assist in the fight in Syria.  This is in direct contradiction to his previous stance and promise of "no" U.S. boots on the ground in that country.  He claims they are only advising and assisting moderate Syrian fighters. If he wanted to effectively remove Assad from power, he should have assisted the moderate Syrian opposition years ago. Getting involved in Syria now runs the risk of pulling America into a complete mess of a situation. The President recently stated to Moscow that there is not a military solution to solve the conflict in Syria. The President should follow his own advice. 

“This announcement shows once again, President Obama’s inept ability to effectively deal in foreign policy and with the terrorist group ISIS.  In dealing with ISIS, the administration’s strategy - or lack thereof - is constantly changing and has no semblance of a winning game plan.

“You can't beat an enemy you won't acknowledge. That enemy is radical Islamic jihadists. Radical Islamist groups like ISIS are waging a war on humanity itself in the hopes of imposing their barbaric view of Islam, implement Sharia law, and create a caliphate in the Middle East. Until you seriously recognize your enemy and diagnose the problem you can't prescribe a strategy to cure the disease.

“Committing troops to yet another fight on foreign soil, jeopardizing the lives of our young military men and women again in another Middle Eastern quagmire - without a coherent plan - is ill-advised. Until this president has a clear winning strategy to address and defeat radical Islam I will not support him.” 

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Congressman Ted Yoho serves on the Foreign Affairs and Agriculture Committees. He represents North Florida’s 3rd Congressional District