The most recent beheading video put out by the Islamic State (ISIS), showing the violent slaughter of U.S. aid worker Peter Kassig, is yet another example of the depravity of the terror organization and a signal that the U.S. needs to take a stronger stand, Rep. Peter King said Monday on "America's Forum" on
Newsmax TV.
"It is pure evil, it's diabolical and that should prompt the president to realize that we have to do all we possibly can to destroy it," King said. "This is not something that can be done in a half-hearted way. We have to take every possible measure. If the president is going to do this, he has to be serious about it and he has to convince allies to be serious about it."
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Because of
President Barack Obama's weak reputation on the global stage
— specifically his decision to backpedal on punishing Syria for using chemical weapons on its own people
— it has been difficult to line up foreign support in the war against the Islamic State, King said.
"It's hard for us to line up support over there, and it's hard to get people on the ground to stand with us because they, quite frankly, don't know if they can trust us," he said.
Over the weekend,
the Islamic State published a video showing the beheading of a dozen Syrian soldiers, culminating with a militant's claiming to have killed Kassig. One of the militants is seen standing over a severed head he says is Kassig's. The White House confirmed Kassig's death on Sunday.
The Islamic State is becoming increasingly brazen in its videos, King said. In the latest, locations and landmarks are disclosed and some of the militia's members show their faces. King said he would wait until an intelligence briefing before commenting on whether any U.S. citizens have been identified.
"These guys think they're invulnerable, and they want to send that message to their people," he said. "The fact is that we do have very expert people on our side who are examining this, will be looking at it, and they've given us, the enemy has given us, an advantage. They think they're being smart, but it's going to work against them."
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