Rick Perry calls for more airstikes against Islamic State

WASHINGTON — Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday called on the Obama administration to step up airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq, warning that jihadist terrorists could cross the Southwest border if they are not defeated in the Middle East.

The potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate said the administration is making a mistake by limiting its airstrikes in Iraq and viewing the U.S. mission as providing humanitarian relief rather than protecting the national security of the United States.

"The administration wishes — and who doesn't — that this was just a humanitarian crisis," Perry told a packed audience at an event sponsored by the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank and the National Review. "And when they talk about limited air strikes, they place great emphasis on limited. Yet clearly more strikes will be necessary. Nothing less than a sustained air campaign to degrade and destroy ISIS forces is required."

If ISIS is not stopped in the Middle East, Perry said, its terrorists could end up coming across what he called an "unsecured" Southwest border.

In fact, Perry asserted, "there is a very real possibility" they could already be coming, although he said there is "no clear evidence" that they are.

"There's the obvious great concern that, because of the position of the border from the standpoint of it not being secure, and us not knowing who is penetrating across, that individuals from ISIS or other terrorist states could be (coming across the border)," Perry said.

Perry was supposed to speak about the crisis of Central American children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border into the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. He has deployed up to 1,000 National Guard troops at the Texas border, prompting critics to charge that he is militarizing the border. But he focused most of his remarks on the urgency of defeating ISIS.

In addition to airstrikes, the U.S. must send more special operations forces and intelligence gatherers into Iraq to help the Iraqi government, Perry said. He said the U.S. government and its allies also should airlift weapons to Kurds in Iraq trying to defend themselves against ISIS.

In response to a question about whether he advocates sending U.S. ground troops back into Iraq, the governor said that all options should be kept open.

"They (ISIS) need to be eliminated, and they need to be eliminated now," Perry said.

The governor said he understands that President Obama is being warned by advisers and fellow Democrats about the danger of "mission creep" by sending U.S. military forces back into Iraq.

But Perry said Obama should be more worried about ISIS' definition of "mission creep" — an attack against the United States.

Perry said Congress and Obama should not talk about passing comprehensive immigration reform until the border is secure.

His appearance in the nation's capital comes just two days after the governor had his mugshot and fingerprints taken at the Travis County courthouse as he was booked on two felony charges stemming from his call for the resignation of Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg after she was arrested last year for drunken driving.

When Lehmberg refused to step down, Perry vetoed $7.5 million in state funds for the public integrity unit that Lehmberg oversees. A grand jury indicted Perry after finding sufficient evidence that he overstepped his legal authority as governor.

Perry said Thursday that he is confident he will prevail.

"There are a few public officials in Travis County who have taken issue with an exercise of my constitutional veto authority," the governor said. "These are fundamentally principles that are very important, namely a governor's power to veto legislation and funding and the right of freedom of speech. I am very confident in my case and I can assure you that I will fight this attack on our system of government and with my fellow citizens, both Republicans and Democrats, I will defend our constitution and stand up for the rule of law."