Monday’s joint U.S and Arab airstrikes against the insurgent group known as the Islamic State came on the heels of President Obama’s visit to Florida.
The airstrikes were carried out by the U.S. and five Arab nations. They included land and sea based aircraft as well as missiles launched from the Red Sea and Persian Gulf.
Senator Bill Nelson, a senior member of the Committee on Armed Services, says the strike was planned after president Obama’s visit to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa last week.
“He then left it up to his commanders, Central Command Headquartered in Tampa. General Austin then did all the final planning and execution of the strike,” says Nelson.
The strikes were against key targets of the terrorist organization. "All of their headquarters and their leadership as well as their arsenal and a lot of their money is in Northern and Eastern Syria,” says Nelson.
The Florida Democrat proposed legislation to authorize airstrikes against the Islamic State or ISIL. The Senate has delayed debate of his proposal of long-term authorization of force in the region until after their two-month recess.
