Security committee chair: Hillary, Obama to blame for ISIS

Security committee chair: Hillary, Obama to blame for ISIS

By PAUL BEDARD (@SECRETSBEDARD) • 12/9/15 10:46 AM

The Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, claiming that the U.S. faces its highest security threat since 9/11, on Wednesday put the blame for it and the rise of the Islamic State squarely on President Obama and his former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton.

"I would say that she and the president are responsible for ISIS rearing its ugly head. They have not effectively dealt with it and that's going to be a huge campaign issue," said Rep. Michael McCaul.

The Texas lawmaker said that Clinton failed early in her term as the nation's top diplomat to handle the Iraq war and stem the resulting terrorism. He said that her policies "imploded Iraq and creates ISIS." He spoke to reporters at a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor.

Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. Photos by Michael Bonfigli/Christian Science Monitor
"I think Mrs. Clinton has a lot of weaknesses because she was the architect of the Obama administration's foreign policy as the secretary of state," said McCaul.

And he said that the eventual Republican presidential nominee will use that to defeat Clinton.

"I think they are going to have a big advantage when it comes to the question of the American people, 'Do you feel safer today than you did eight years ago,'" added McCaul.

While he hasn't endorsed a GOP candidate, he said that he hopes the party's nominee is strong on foreign policy.

"I'm looking for a commander-in-chief who can fix the problems that this president has created, all across the world. No. 1, ISIS," he said.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.
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