Former congressman: War powers request a ‘failure of leadership’

Former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) on Sunday chided President Obama for waiting to send his war powers request to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria to Congress. 

“This is a monumental failure of leadership,” Rogers said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” 

{mosads}”if you had approached Congress before, met with members of both parties, you could have had a product that he asked for that would have passed in a week on Capitol Hill,” Rogers said. 

The former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said he called for the White House to send an authorization to use military force (AUMF) to Congress in August and September of last year. 

“This is a hallmark of this presidency,” Rogers added. “He refuses to believe he needs to engage members of Congress of either party.” 

The administration sent the AUMF over to Congress last Wednesday, and lawmakers are divided over a specific phrase in the request that bans the use of “enduring offensive ground operations.”

Republicans are worried the request restricts the military too much, while Democrats find it too flexible and do not want to be in a situation similar to Iraq.