Boehner seeks larger role for US troops in ISIS fight

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) says President Obama should give U.S. troops stationed in Iraq the authority to engage Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) forces in combat.

“I think the president is placing artificial constraints on our commanders,” he told a small group of reporters on Tuesday, according to USA Today.

{mosads}Boehner noted that 4,500 U.S. troops have already been deployed to Iraq to train and assist the Baghdad’s military forces.

“We’re not talking about 100,000 troops on the ground; nobody needs to throw that canard out there,” he said. “But we have troops there that could provide a lot more assistance to the Iraqi army if they were given the ability to do so.”

But the speaker reportedly declined to label U.S. troops as combat forces.

“I wouldn’t call it a combat role. I would call it more of a plan-and-direct. Rather than just training, more engaged in helping the Iraqis fight the fight,” Boehner said.

His comments come after leading a congressional delegation on a spring trip to various Middle East countries.

They also coincided with the administration’s announcement that it would provide $200 million in humanitarian support to help Iraqis who have been displaced by the ongoing fight with ISIS.

Boehner said the president’s proposal for an war power resolution targets the terrorist group and its allies had stalled in the House.

“I have not given up on it, but until the president gets serious about fighting the fight and really has a strategy that makes some sense, there is no reason for us to give him less authority than he has today,” he said, according to The New York Times.

The remarks echo those made Monday by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) that the president’s proposal, submitted to lawmakers months ago, could not pass the chamber.