CRANSTON, RI – U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement in reaction to the President’s decision to deliver humanitarian aid to Iraqi civilians and authorize military air strikes against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants in Iraq:

“I support the President’s decision to deliver humanitarian aid to religious minorities in northern Iraq and to take strategic, precision air strikes on selective targets that will degrade ISIS, but more importantly protect our American personnel and interests in the area.  As one of only 23 Senators who opposed the war in Iraq, I do not believe this should be an extended campaign involving US ground troops. These strikes are designed to allow the Iraqis to re-establish their military forces and push back against the brutality of ISIS militants who have threatened the lives of thousands of stranded Iraqi civilians.”

 -end-