Aide: Obama open to limits in war authorization
Blinken, nominated by Obama to be Secretary of State John Kerry's deputy as the No. 2-ranked U.S. diplomat, was testifying Wednesday at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was asked by the chairman, Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, if
a three-year limit on operations and a prohibition on a large-scale ground combat mission were reasonable.
Blinken said those conditions would be "appropriate" and could form a "good basis" for the law.
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The toughest bout of questioning came from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who asked Blinken if he was wrong two years ago when he said "what is beyond debate ... is that Iraq today is less violent, more democratic and more prosperous, and the United States more deeply engaged there than at any time in recent history.
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Obama also is seeking $5.6 billion to cover the military costs in Iraq and Syria. Those funds may come in an annual defense bill senators are trying to complete by year's end.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_ISLAMIC_STATE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT"Who will pay for it?