CNN "Wolf" - Transcript: Islamic State Strategy

Interview

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BLITZER: And this is such a sad, pitiful part of the story. The Iraqi military trained and funded by the United States, armed by the United States over the past decade, simply MIA, Missing in Action, in terms of protecting Iraq and Iraqis from ISIS.

Anna Coren on the front lines, be careful over there, Anna. We'll check back with you later.

So, is the U.S. at war right now? Will there be boots on the ground, combat forces, all part of the strategy of dealing with ISIS in Syria? Would it involve simply training rebels? What's going on? As you know, the president has asked Congress to approve legislation providing half a billion dollars to go ahead and train and arm those so-called moderate Syrian rebels. Critics say the president's plan is lacking on several major details. The House, by the way, is set to vote on the funding and that vote could come as early as tomorrow.

New York Republican Congressman Peter King is a key member of Congress. He's joining us from Capitol Hill right now. I assume you're going to vote for that half a billion dollars, is that right, Congressman?

REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: Yes, I am, Wolf. I'll be voting for it. I'm not entirely supportive of, you know, what the president laid out so far. But I do believe that it's important we go forward. So, yes, I will vote yes.

BLITZER: Why are the Iraqi military personnel -- why is the Iraqi government in Baghdad refusing to protect huge, huge parts of Iraq and to protect Iraqi citizens?

KING: I would say -- well, first of all, there's no excuse for it. I would say, right now, the Iraqi army is in a bit of shambles. This results, I believe, primarily from when Maliki was there and he had put, basically, his goons in charge of various battalions and the divisions. And they were incompetent. These were, basically, Shiites leading a Sunni army and the army just came apart which is we saw that happen when ISIS moved in on them and they just ran.

Now, I do think that the army can be put back together. I think if -- in talking to people in the military, we believe there is a basic form of an Iraqi army there. And -- but I think it's going to take U.S. leadership. We will have to have, I believe, some Americans embedded with the Iraqi army. And if I can go back, I think this is all part of when the U.S. disengaged entirely from Iraq, we lost any control of influence over the Iraqi army.

BLITZER: I've spoken with several Iraqi Kurds, influential Kurds, and I've spoken with several Iraqi Sunnis who really aren't very upbeat about this new Iraqi prime minister, Haider Al Abadi. They say, basically, he may put on a little bit better front but he's more of the same, comes from the same political party as Nuri Al Maliki. And they're not very confident he's going to do much. What are you hearing?

KING: Well, you know, no one's perfect when it comes to Iraq. But I think he will be a significantly -- a significant improvement over Maliki. And also, I believe, now that the U.S. has re-engaged in Iraq, we will have more influence over a body to -- in fact, it was compel him to do the right thing. We lost all influence over Maliki when we withdrew. And so, the fact that we will be there, to a large extent, Abadi, his survival is going to depend on U.S. assistance. We will have more of a say over Abadi than we had over Maliki over the last -- over the last three years. And I also believe that, again, if we can get American forces, Americans embedded with the Iraqi army, that will help coordinate operations between the Peshmerga and the Israel -- and the Iraqi army.

BLITZER: But you realize, Congressman, that that would be combat boots on the ground which the president has ruled out?

KING: Well, we already have almost 2,000 troops over there. I mean, that's more -- that's three times more troops than Eisenhower had in Vietnam when he left office. So, I mean, the fact is we do have boots on the ground. I don't see, right now, the need to have combat troops in effect of actually taking part in combat operations. But I do believe we will -- we'll have to have Special Forces and we will have to have American military embedded with the Iraqi military for the purpose of leadership and coordination. And the president, I think, should be more upfront with the American people in telling them that.

BLITZER: And this notion that, as Chairman Dempsey testified today before the Senate Armed Services Committee, the mission is to destroy ISIS in Iraq but to degrade ISIS in Syria. I hadn't heard that until today. What's your reaction?

KING: To me, that's a step back. And that's one of the criticisms I've had of the president's policies. He takes one step forward and one step sideways. And this is another example of that. I mean, last week, he made a -- I thought he gave the clear impression that we were going after ISIS in both Iraq and Syria. And now, if you have two standards, it almost gives them somewhat of a sanctuary in Syria. There's a difference between destroying and degrading or disrupting. And so, to me, if I were in ISIS, I would look upon Syria as being a -- almost a privileged sanctuary, you know, take an attack from, do what they have to do in Iraq and then realizing that they won't be subjected to the same type of air attacks in Syria. I think it's a mistake. Even that were the president's policy, I don't know why you announce that.

BLITZER: U.S. has been trying to destroy Al Qaeda now for 13 years since 911. Certainly, the U.S. has degraded Al Qaeda's capabilities, but Al Qaeda remains in business, unfortunately, as we all know. Congressman Peter King, thanks very much for joining us.

KING: Thank you, Wolf. And we have to stay after them. This is going to be a long, hard war. This is not going to be over soon, for many years ahead.

BLITZER: Well, if anyone thinks this can be resolved in three years, I think, is kidding themselves.

KING: No.

BLITZER: This is going to be a long, long, brutal conflict just as the war against Al Qaeda --

KING: As John Kennedy --

BLITZER: -- has been a long war.

KING: -- as John Kennedy -- as John Kennedy said, a long twilight struggle.

BLITZER: All right, Congressman, thanks very much.

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