http://thehill.com/homenews/house/217073-dick-cheney-huddles-with-house-gopBy Scott Wong,Martin Matishak and Kristina Wong - 09/09/14 09:26 AM EDT
Former Vice President Dick Cheney on Tuesday told House Republicans that the United States took its eye off the terror threat during President Obama’s watch.
Cheney, who has repeatedly slammed Obama on terrorism since leaving office, told Republicans they shouldn’t let their guard down on terrorism, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) said.
His appearance at the House GOP’s weekly conference meeting was notable, coming a day ahead of Obama’s address to the nation on the threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Cheney remains a divisive figure in politics, with many people blaming him for the unpopular War in Iraq.
He’s more popular with conservatives, and House Republicans said they valued getting his opinions.
“He has a great history with foreign policy," Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said. "He was giving us a lay of the land, and telling us what he feels the threat could turn in to.”
Mullin said Cheney's remarks at the closed-door meeting focused on the ISIS threat.
Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) said Cheney described ISIS as “very dangerous” and warned that, under Obama the U.S is seen as “weak around the world."
Cheney did not weigh in on whether Congress should vote on authorizing use of force against ISIS, Thornberry said.
Cheney's visit comes the same day congressional leaders will meet at the White House with President Obama over his strategy for dealing with ISIS. Congress is wrestling with whether it should vote to authorize a broader military campaign against Islamic militants in Iraq and Syria.
The GOP meeting was held at the Capital Hill Club, where the leadership holds gatherings, when they are political in nature, aides said.
Recent polls suggest there is public support for military strikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
Tuesday's closed-door conference meeting is the first since Congress returned to Washington after a five-week summer recess. In addition to addressing the ISIS threat, lawmakers will have to pass a funding bill to avert a government shutdown and temporarily renew the charter for the Export-Import Bank, among other items.
