Peter King: U.S. must get involved if Islamic State is threat

Rep. Peter King, New York Republican, said Monday the United States must be willing to do “whatever we have to do” if the Islamic State terrorist group is indeed a threat to U.S. security.

“I think someone has to put boots on the ground,” he said on MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown.” “We already have almost 2,000 troops on the ground. We are going to have to use Special Forces, we are going to have to have spotters on the ground, and we are going to have to embed, I believe, Americans with the Iraqi army to coordinate and to provide some kind of leadership to them, and certainly coordinate their activities with the Kurds.”

President Obama, in outlining his strategy of stepping up air strikes on the group, also known as ISIS or ISIL, and providing support and training for Syrian rebel forces to combat the group, has repeatedly said U.S. ground troops will not have a combat role.

“The extent beyond that it’s going to be a decision to be made, but the president — he’s trying to pass it off,” Mr. King said. “If ISIS is a threat to the United States’ security, then we can’t say it’s up to Iraq to defend us; somehow, you’re cutting off your nose to spite your face: well, if Iraq doesn’t do the job, we’re not going to do it.

“Well, we’re the ones who suffer. We’re the ones who are going to be attacked, so we should only be in there if it affects the U.S., and if it does affect the U.S., then we have to be willing to do whatever we have to do,” he continued.