Speaker John A. Boehner dismissed Barack Obama Thursday as an “anti-war president” unwilling to lead an international coalition against the Islamic State terror group, also known as ISIS or ISIL; al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations.  

“The world is starving for American leadership, but America has an anti-war president. We have no strategy, overarching strategy, to deal with a growing terrorist threat, and it’s not just ISIS or al-Qaida and all of their affiliates,” the Ohio Republican said at his weekly news briefing.  

“If America leads, our allies would be tickled to death and be happy to join our coalition.”  

Asked why the House has not moved more urgently to pass the president’s Authorization for the Use of Military Force, Boehner said Obama has failed to articulate his strategy behind the AUMF.  

“The biggest problem … [is] the president is asking us to give him less authority,” Boehner said. “Where’s the robust strategy to take on the terrorist threat? And if there’s a robust strategy, then we can have our robust authorization to use the tools at his command to actually fight and end this war.”  

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