Overnight, the Islamic State took over the historic city of Palmyra. IS’s rapid growth within the Anbar province has lawmakers reanalyzing President Obama’s strategy on how to combat that radical Islamic group.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) said Wednesday evening on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer that Obama’s arbitrary cap of 3,000 soldiers has no military reason. Cotton said he wishes the cap would be raised so that the boots on the ground could be used for more special operations forces and intelligence.
In an Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday, Gen. Jack Keane, former Vice Chief of Staff for the Army, echoed the same sentiments.
"We are not only failing, we are losing this war," said Keane.
Keane took aim at the plan to combat IS and called it "fundamentally flawed." It has taken over 10 years to train the Iraqi army while there have been some successes there has mostly been disappointments.
Keane also called the resources to support Iraq inadequate, as well as the timing and urgency to supply weapons, equipment, and training is insufficient. Keane was adamant that the current strategy would not help the United States in the war over IS.