Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, released the following statement regarding President Obama’s announcement that he had authorized the U.S. military to conduct airstrikes against forces from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). This State Department-designated terrorist group has moved towards the city of Erbil, where the U.S. has a consulate, and has threatened to massacre the Yezidi religious minority. President Obama also announced humanitarian aid for the Yezidi and military assistance for the Iraqi government and Kurdish forces. 

“The rise of ISIL puts the safety of all Iraqis in jeopardy, regardless of faith. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have been receiving regular updates on the crisis in Iraq and U.S. capabilities in the region. I support President Obama’s decision to conduct targeted airstrikes and humanitarian airdrops to relieve the besieged Yezidi community. With a minority facing massacre, U.S. consular officials in harms’ way and a request from our Iraqi allies, conscience and capability support this mission. 

“Since 2003, 4,491 American women and men have been killed in Iraq. As grave as the situation in Iraq is, I do not believe it justifies putting more American troops into combat.  On June 19, I voted to prohibit funding for combat in Iraq in the defense spending bill, though the measure did not pass. 

“Our military cannot solve all of Iraq’s problems. Division and persecution by President Maliki’s government has created an environment that allowed ISIL to grow and undermined the Iraqi military’s ability to respond to the threat. The country’s leadership now has an obligation to create a government that all Iraqis can call their own,” Larsen concluded.

Larsen serves on the House Armed Services Committee.

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