August 11, 2014 12:09 PM UTC

Iraq Strikes: Udall, Tipton Back Prez While Talk Radio Rages

•  
• by: Colorado Pols

​Surprisingly little coverage in the last few days of local reaction to airstrikes over Iraq carried out by American forces against forces of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The Pueblo Chieftain's Peter Roper reported this weekend:

Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., called the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant fighters “brutal” in their attacks on Iraqi people, especially religious minorities including Christians.

Obama’s decision to use airstrikes to protect U.S. personnel and to provide humanitarian aid was “the right one,” according to Udall.

“(ISIS) must not be allowed to gain a safe haven in the region but this fight belongs to the Iraqis and their neighbors. I remain strongly opposed to putting combat troops back into Iraq,” he said.

There seems to be some deference among Republicans today in regards to President Barack Obama's handling of the situation in Iraq–depending on who you talk to, of course. Talk radio host Rush Limbaugh says Obama is bombing Iraq to distract from his "numerous problems," and there is general consensus on the pundit right that if Obama had just not pulled our troops out of Iraq to begin with, the situation might be better–although American public opinion wouldn't be. Most of the statements from elected Republicans, though, combine support for the airstrikes with muted and generalized criticism. Roper continues:

In the 3rd Congressional District, Rep. Scott Tipton said, “The use of airstrikes is appropriate given the circumstances and the severe threat that ISIS is posing to the entire region.”

But the Cortez Republican went on to fault Obama, saying the president owed the public a long-term strategy for addressing the ISIS problem.

As for Cory Gardner?

Udall’s Republican challenger, Rep. Cory Gardner, couldn’t be reached for comment because he was on the Western Slope, according to his staff.

Gardner's campaign has reached a degree of shrillness where it may simply difficult for them to say anything complimentary about Mark Udall or Democrats, even on matters of foreign policy where it used to be fashionable to occasionally pretend to show unity. That, or television and phones don't work on the Western Slope? We assume it's the former.