WASHINGTON – "What else does the Iraqi government need to fail at before we change our strategy?" asked an incredulous Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.
"We cannot defeat ISIS in Iraq by continuing to beg, hope and pray," she added with exasperation.
Senators expressed extreme frustration during a congressional hearing on Tuesday, as Pentagon leaders explained the heart of the Obama administration's plan to fight ISIS is to keep training the Iraqi troops who have been constantly routed by the jihadist army.
"The strategy for defeating ISIL (ISIS) on the ground in Syria and Iraq is to train and then enable local forces. That takes some time," testified Defense Secretary Ashton Carter.
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Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., retorted the U.S. has been training Iraqi troops for nearly a decade and that the real problem seemed to be a lack of confidence among Iraqi troops and the Iraqi government.
When Carter agreed, Sessions asked, what, then, was to be gained by training more troops? Was it not necessary to embed U.S. troops to ensure Iraqi troops would perform better?
In places, yes, replied Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman General Martin Dempsey.
The senator asked why isn't the Pentagon doing that?
Dempsey said he had not recommended that because the "silver bullet" to the problem is getting the Iraqi forces to fight.
Sessions observed, "I would think if we started having some wins, ISIS would have fewer recruits, and we'd have better morale with the Iraqi recruits, too, and they'd fight better."
"What is the reluctance to use our special forces here?" he asked.
The general replied, "If we find a unit which is led and is responsive and has an offensive mission where we can enable them or increase their likelihood of success, then I will make that recommendation."
But he advised against embedding U.S. advisers "on a habitual basis."
Sessions said he was "deeply disappointed" because it did not appear that even Carter or Dempsey had confidence in President Obama's strategy.
"Delusion is a word that is too accurate," he charged, in reference to the strategy's refusal to use greater force or to enlist the help of U.S. special forces in guiding the Iraqis.
Sessions suggested the president will have to change the strategy eventually because, "He can't function on a campaign promise when the reality is different."
In remarks made Monday about ISIS, Obama defended his strategy by insisting, "Ideologies are not defeated with guns. They're defeated by better ideas, more attractive and more compelling vision."
In response, a congressional aide told WND, "Ideologies kill people and guns stop them."
Carter and Dempsey steadfastly defended the strategy of relying on the training of Iraqi troops  despite their horrendous record in combat.
Iraqi troops abandoned the provincial capital of Ramadi without a fight in May, despite outnumbering ISIS troops by 10 to 1.
In Syria, fewer than 100 Syrian "moderates" reportedly have been vetted and trained to fight ISIS.
In a news release, Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee accused Obama of still being in denial about the threat from ISIS.
"The president admitted that ISIS is filling a 'void' in the region, but failed to mention why the void exists in the first place: The Obama administration refused to leave a residual force in Iraq and then dismissed ISIS as a 'jayvee' team."
Huckabee also blasted the president's strategy.
"The Obama administration promised to train 5,400 moderate rebels per year to fight ISIS. Yet less than 100 are being trained. What will it take for President Obama to abandon his weak, incremental escalation in the Middle East and finally take the fight to ISIS?"
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