Sen. Ron Johnson said Sunday that President Obama’s strategy of “peace through withdrawal” from Iraq and the Middle East has been a “miserable failure” and that the U.S. cannot accept thousands of refugees from the conflict-ridden region without fully vetting them first.
“We need to be first concerned about our national security,” Mr. Johnson, Wisconsin Republican, told “Fox News Sunday.”
The Obama administration said the U.S. plans to accept at least 10,000 refugees from Syria, a country battered by civil war and the Islamic State. Thousands of Syrian refugees are streaming into Europe, pitting wealthier countries that are willing to embrace the migrants with Eastern European leaders who have taken a hard line against them.
Democratic lawmakers such as Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut have called on the U.S. to do its part and accept tens of thousands more than what has been announced. He said the U.S. contributed to instability in Iraq through its invasion in 2003, and “we have a responsibility” to help.
Otherwise, Mr. Murphy said, desperate people will run into the arms of dangerous groups.
“They turn to others that are offering help, like ISIS, like al Qaeda,” he told Fox, using an acronym of the Islamic State.
Mr. Johnson, though, urged the administration to keep its eye on homeland security, saying its feasible that terrorist groups could imbed their agents into the refugee pool.
“Normally it takes about 18 months to two years to fully vet refugees coming to this country,” he said.
For its part, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Friday the first applicants among the 10,000 Syrian refugees may not be accepted before the end of the next fiscal year.
He said the administration wouldn’t take “any shortcuts when it comes to our security” in admitting the migrants.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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