The Administration’s strategy for fighting the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) was the focus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing today on the ISIS threat, held by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.

One of the witnesses, Ambassador James Jeffrey, the Phillip Solondz Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, testified that the Administration needs to “move faster, take more risks, apply more resources and not assume that ‘time is on our side’ in the Middle East.” Jeffrey is the former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey.

“The principle of ‘strategic patience’ as called for by the President must not be used to further delay action in training and arming those we want and need to help on the ground against ISIS.  As our witnesses described, ISIS is a serious threat that only grows more menacing – not only in the Middle East, but also as a threat to our homeland in the form of so-called lone-wolf attacks,” said Smith, a senior member of the committee and chairman of its global human rights subcommittee.

"The FBI has warned of further ISIS-inspired attacks here in the United States, as have already taken place in France, Belgium and Canada, ," Smith said. “The Administration must present a comprehensive plan for countering ISIS in the Middle East and worldwide

The hearing, entitled “The Growing Strategic Threat of ISIS,” is the first in the Committee’s review of the President’s request for authorization to use military force against ISIS. 

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