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Durbin: U.S. Has Limited Power Over ISIS

Senate.gov

Senator Dick Durbin says the U.S. only has so much power over the group known as the Islamic State. American air strikes expanded to Syria after six weeks of bombings over Iraq, where ISIS has strongholds. But Durbin says it's time for Iraqis to be the boots on the ground in the conflict.

"There are 900,000 people in the Iraqi Army. It's huge. A third of them, if well trained and positioned, could take care of this task for sure. There are about 20-50,000 in ISIL. So we certainly are not outnumbered and we won't be." ---Senator Dick Durbin

Congress last week gave the White House the authority to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels to fight against ISIS. Durbin says he's wary that any weapons given to the rebels could end up in the Islamic State's arsenal, but says there's no better choice.

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