Kentucky’s senior U.S. Senator says fighters with the extremist group the “Islamic State” represent a “long-term threat” to the nation.
Republican Mitch McConnell told WKU Public Radio today that there is no serious consideration in Washington about sending American ground troops after the group’s forces in Iraq and Syria. But McConnell described the Islamic State as an organization that will cause the U.S. problems for years to come.
“I think the President is moving in the direction of taking this seriously,” McConnell said. “I think the beheading of Americans posted on the internet certainly got everybody’s attention. This is going to be a long-term threat. We saw it on 9-11. It’s a long-term threat to the U.S. and our allies around the world.”
McConnell says he is troubled that some members of the Islamic State have U.S. and British passports.
Meanwhile, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes says the United States has “no choice” but to be fully engaged in global affairs.
“I have supported the airstrikes in Syria and Iraq but remain opposed to the use of ground forces,” Grimes said. “My hope is that the allied coalition continues to grow so that there can be a joint responsibility, especially an economic shared responsibility, for the mission in the Middle East right now”
Grimes says any military intervention should be used a “last resort” and should only happened when national security or key U.S. interests are threatened.
