[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 24 (Thursday, February 12, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S964]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                  AUMF

  As I commented yesterday, the President came to us yesterday asking 
us to authorize the use of force, and I think we should do that. I am 
not necessarily sure we should do it in the way he has asked us to do 
it. I think it should be a pretty straightforward authorization, and 
here is what it should say. It should say we authorize the President of 
the United States to destroy ISIS and to defeat their military. It is 
up to the Commander in Chief to decide the right way in which to do 
that.
  I have very serious concerns and very serious reservations about our 
current strategy when it comes to ISIS. I am not sure it is sufficient. 
I think it is a strategy that will contain them but will not defeat 
them. In fact, ISIS is now popping up, for example, in Libya, where 
they have a very significant hub. They have a very significant presence 
in Benghazi. Just a few days ago they carried out an attack in Tripoli. 
We are now hearing media reports that ISIS has a presence in 
Afghanistan, perhaps even terrorist training camps.
  So they continue to grow their affiliates, they continue to grow 
their presence, and we need an authorization of the use of force that 
allows us to defeat them anywhere in the world where they are to be 
found.
  The President's suggestion has been well received. We thank him for 
submitting one. But now it is the responsibility of the Senate to do 
its job and to write one of its own. It may reflect many of the things 
the President wants, but what I believe it should reflect more than 
anything else is that we authorize him to defeat ISIS no matter what it 
takes and no matter how long it takes. If we have problems with the 
President's strategy, there are different ways to address it. I do have 
problems with the strategy and I want that to be addressed.