Washington, D.C. – Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) issued the following statement after voting for an amendment to arm and train some moderate Syrians in their war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The amendment passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 273-156.

“Several months ago, I offered an amendment to stop potential American arms from flowing to the Syrian opposition in their war against Assad. Today, with certain reservations, I supported an amendment to arm and train certain vetted Syrians in their war against ISIL. Frankly, this was one of the most difficult judgment calls I’ve made in Congress.

"My earlier amendment was introduced at a time when there was no broad strategy for success, only the possibility of ad hoc action that might have made an already terrible situation worse. Today, however, there is a comprehensive strategy developing against ISIL—a grave threat not only to the Middle East, but to American national security.

“ISIL is better financed, better armed, commands more territory, and boasts a larger army than al-Qaeda ever has in its dark history. Its twisted religious ideology is eighth century barbarism wielding 21st century weaponry. They behead, they crucify, and they rape. They march under a black banner of death.

“This new amendment is narrowly tailored with appropriate benchmarks and aggressive oversight. However, bipartisan concerns about weaponizing supposedly moderate Syrians in a battleground of shifting loyalties are still justified. We are now managing low expectations in Syria when we should be focused on a complete discussion of the overall strategy against ISIL. One thing has to be clear and must continually be made clear: this is the world’s problem, not America’s problem alone.

“In the end, faced with ISIL’s ongoing savagery, we must remember that action has risks, but that the consequences of inaction are too grave to ignore. ISIL is a threat to all innocent persons and a threat to civilization itself.”

Fortenberry gave a speech before the House of Representatives yesterday on the danger of ISIL, which can be viewed here.

Fortenberry serves on the House Appropriations Committee and is a member of the House Caucus on Religious Minorities in the Middle East.

###