Duckworth, Kaifesh disagree on arming Syrian rebels
Eighth Congressional District Republican hopeful Larry Kaifesh says its rare that he agrees more with President Barack Obama on an issue than does his Democratic opponent, incumbent U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth.
But that's where he finds himself after Duckworth last week voted against Obama's plan to arm Syrian rebels as part of U.S. measures against Islamic State militants.
Duckworth was one of five Illinois Democrats, and the only suburban lawmaker, to break party ranks and oppose the plan to spend $500 million training and equipping the rebels.
Both Kaifesh and Duckworth called the provision against Islamic State forces imperfect. But while Kaifesh said the militants' actions begged a response, Duckworth said the uncertain long-term consequences of arming the Syrian rebels forced her to vote against the action.
Duckworth said she is not opposed to military action against ISIS, calling the group “a real and immediate threat to U.S. interests and potentially to our homeland if left unchecked,” but she believes the long-term implications of arming the rebels have not been closely examined.
“Having sat through numerous briefings from Pentagon, Department of State and Administration officials, too many questions remain about our vetting process and the ability to identify reliable partners, many of whom have questionable allegiances,” she said in a statement released after the vote.
Like Duckworth, Kaifesh brings to the campaign an extensive military background. He said the Islamic State's actions demand a military response.
“It can never be allowed, having Americans butchered and beheaded, without a response,” Kaifesh said. “People will give you what you tolerate, and we can't tolerate that without a response.”
While Kaifesh wholeheartedly supports the ongoing bombing campaign, he acknowledged that arming the Syrian rebels was a trickier part of the equation.
“It was not a clean bill, and maybe it should have been,” Kaifesh said. “Will those people help us down the road? I don't know, but you have to take a chance and have a response.”
Throughout his campaign, Kaifesh has been advocating a broader approach to combating radical Islam than the purely military measures the U.S. has favored. He said Islamic State forces are just another symptom of the problem, and that the U.S. has been focused too much on mere symptoms.
Kaifesh's approach calls for the help of Islamic insiders and includes the four principles of information, education, reformation and elimination.
Focusing on the last principle alone isn't going to solve the problem, he said.
Duckworth also was critical of how last week's vote took place, with the $500 million in funding included as part of a wider government spending bill.
“I am also disappointed by the failure of Congressional leadership to have an honest debate and vote on the overall strategy to defeat ISIS,” Duckworth said in her statement. “We should not be holding a vote on one part of the strategy in the region that will have irreversible long term consequences in the form of an amendment to a stopgap spending bill. This is no way to govern. It is a failure on the part of Congress to do its job.”
The 8th District includes parts of northwest Cook, central DuPage and eastern Kane counties.