Florida freshman Congressman Ron DeSantis (R) is once again pushing back against his very own Republican Party leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, by criticizing Speaker Boehner for his “unacceptable” decision to “take up” the issue of bombing ISIL in Syria and Iraq, but not until 2015.

DeSantis questioned why the Republican-led House and Democrat Senate “adjourned before debating” the issue of whether or not to grant President Obama “the authority to launch air strikes” against the terrorist group in that region of the world.

For many in Washington, being reelected seems to be more important than matters of war and peace.  What a sad commentary on the political class! –Rep. Ron DeSantis (R)

In questioning why the U.S.Congress went on recess before addressing this important issue, DeSantis also laid out “the three possible sources of authority” the Obama administration may have used to justify their actions against ISIL in Syria and Iraq.

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The three possible sources of authority for the administration’s actions are Article II of the Constitution, the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Al Qaeda and “associated forces,” and the 2002 AUMF against Iraq.  Article II is sufficient to defend American personnel and property from attack by the Islamic State such as in Kurdistan and in Baghdad, but may not be sufficient to conduct offensive operations in Syria.  The 2001 AUMF might be adequate to authorize operations against the Islamic State in Syria since the terror group was formerly Al Qaeda in Iraq.  The 2002 AUMF may be enough to justify a broader air campaign in Iraq.  Sorting out the various authorities and determining whether additional authority is required is supposed to be the job of Congress.

DeSantis then seems to echo what I have been saying all along, with respect to the arming these so-called “vetted moderate Islamist rebels”.

These “Islamic rebels” are not interested in joining westerners to kill their own, but only in fighting with those who are willing to take up their cause, including the ousting of governments like that of Bashar al-Assad’s in Syria.

One Islamist group, Harakat Al-Hazm, which has been lauded by the Washington establishment and by Secretary of State John Kerry as worthy of support in the fight against the Islamic State, issued a statement denouncing the strikes as “an attack on the revolution.”  These Islamist fighters are interested in toppling Assad, not necessarily in fighting groups such as Jabhat Al-Nusra (Al Qaeda) and the Islamic State.  How can they be considered reliable proxies in the fight against jihad?-Rep. Ron DeSantis (R)

Remember, this entire struggle for power in the Middle East is actually a generational Holy War that has endured for hundreds of years. Don’t expect this war within your lifetime.