Paul calls for Congress to declare war on ISIS

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is calling for Congress to formally declare war on Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants and to enact measures to limit the scope of the fight. 

{mosads}Paul, a likely 2016 presidential candidate, has long argued that President Obama requires a new congressional authorization in order to carry out attacks on ISIS. He said in an interview with The New York Times published Sunday night that he wants to go a step further with a formal declaration of war. 

“Conservatives are mad at him about immigration. And they’re mad about him using executive authority on ObamaCare,” Paul said. “But this is another example where he doesn’t have much respect for Congress, and some conservatives don’t quite get that.”

Obama said earlier this month that he will seek an authorization from Congress, though the White House argues that congressional action is still not necessary because the 2001 and 2002 congressional authorizations from after the Sept. 11 attacks still apply. 

Paul’s proposed resolution, which was posted by the Times, would repeal the 2002 authorization and set the 2001 authorization to expire in one year. 

The new declaration of war and authorization would also expire in one year, setting a much shorter timetable than has the Obama administration, which calls the fight a long-term effort. 

The declaration also would prohibit the use of U.S. ground troops, except to protect U.S. personnel from imminent attack, for limited operations against “high value targets,” and “advisory and intelligence gathering operations.”

Obama has ruled out the use of ground troops, relying on U.S. air power coupled with Iraqi forces and trained Syrian rebels on the ground.

Paul is departing from other possible Republican presidential contenders, who have criticized Obama for ruling out ground troops. 

Paul has sought to occupy a middle ground between isolationism and what he views as too high of an inclination for intervention in U.S. foreign policy. 

He gave a speech last month calling for “conservative realism,” and against wars leading to stalemate and that lack a plan for victory. 

Paul gets some Democratic support from Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.), who has also been calling for a new congressional authorization, though he does call for the declaration of war. 

“We both feel like you can’t have a war without congressional authorization of some kind,” Kaine told the Times. “Congress cannot just let this power rest down at one end of Pennsylvania Avenue.”