If you're desperate for some bipartisanship,
here you go:
The House on Wednesday is expected to vote on – and likely pass – an amendment authorizing President Obama to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels in his war with the Islamic State, but don't expect the vote to fall neatly along party lines.
While the measure has drawn support from both the Republican and Democratic leadership, rank-and-file members across the political spectrum have raised concerns about it in recent days. The opposition is likely not enough to derail the proposal, but it could deny Obama the overwhelming vote of support he wants from Congress.
Adding to the likelihood that it will pass, the Syrian opposition aid package is being tacked onto the continuing resolution that Congress must pass before the end of the month to avoid a government shutdown. It will provide about $500 million in funds to the Syrian opposition, a sum that pales in comparison to what we're expected to spend on Iraq air strikes, which are also intended to go after the militants calling themselves Islamic State. Although there is some opposition to the measure from the right, tea party groups like Club for Growth
have decided against actively rallying opposition to it.
(A pathetic side note worth noting: Even as Congress and the White House prepare to spend enormous sums to attack ISIS, a request for $1 billion to combat the truly catastrophic Ebola crisis languishes, as David Nir noted earlier. It's a false dichotomy to say we can't do both, but it's mind-boggling that we aren't dealing with Ebola.)
In the Senate, which will vote on the House measure if it is approved, support for military aid was mixed. Sen. Tim Kaine came out in favor of aid, but also said he wanted to vote on an authorization for military force in attacking ISIS as part of the package. Congress, however, is unlikely to take a vote on authorizing military strikes until after the November elections. Sen. Joe Manchin said he opposed funding the Syrian opposition. But because the aid will be packaged with the continuing resolution, it seems unlikely that aid opponents will vote against final passage no matter how they vote on amendments leading up to the ultimate vote.
Meanwhile, as Meteor Blades wrote yesterday, Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey said that despite assurances from the president and Congress, he may recommend ground forces in attacks against ISIS, euphemistically describing such personnel as "close combat advisers."
11:15 AM PT: President Obama addressed the administration's approach to ISIS in a speech (transcript here) earlier Wednesday at MacDill Air Force Base.