(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) A US senator from President Barack Obama's own party on Wednesday refuted claims from the White House that the US-led coalition has been "successful" in pushing back ISIL in Iraq.
Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine told the MSNBC program Andrea Mitchell Reports that ISIL's recent takeover of Ramadi - which sent Iraqi forces fleeing - is "very troubling," and "no way ... a success." "This is a real setback, and it's got to call forth, especially within the region-the US can't police a region that won't police itself," Kaine said.
"And so within Iraq and within partners in the region, there has to be a real gut check about whether they want to face off against this terrorist threat, which is born and bred in the region. If they do, of course we're going to being there supporting. We've done more than 80 percent of the bombing campaigns. But this is a regional problem and the region has to take it head on," he added.
Kaine currently serves on both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He called on Congress to further examine the extent of US involvement in Iraq in the battle against ISIL.
"This is not easy, it's not simple, and it's not going to be over soon. And the fact that we're in the tenth month of a war that the US started August 8 and there hasn't been any meaningful debate in the House [of Representatives] and, save for one committee vote in the Senate in December, there's not been any meaningful debate about Congress trying to work with the executive to scope US involvement and define the mission, so we can support the troops there risking their lives," he stressed.
"Congress ought to do their job and debate and define what America's military role is," Kaine said.
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