If nothing else, the latest ISIS act of barbarism brought a quick political consensus, and added pressure on President Barack Obama: Caution in the face of repugnant horror just won't do.
"We must use every tool at our disposal, short of introducing ground forces in combat roles, to put an end to the threat they pose to our national security," Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said in a statement Tuesday.
Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, rarely on the same page as Shaheen, also called on Obama to respond, and quickly.
"There is no disease that becomes easier to treat the longer you wait," Rubio said.
But whether increased bipartisan pressure will translate into a dramatically new and bolder administration approach is an open question.
"He is not going to plunge America into another trillion-dollar social science project because two American journalists have been killed, no matter how horrific it is," said longtime State Department hand Aaron David Miller, now a scholar at the Wilson Center.
ISIS video shows beheading of American journalist
Still, given the second barbaric beheading in a few weeks and the growing political calls for more decisive action, Miller said, "You can't imagine him not responding in some way."
The rush of statements from politicians shared similar language calling for action and a better explanation of U.S. policy.
'Let there be no doubt, we must go after ISIS right away," said Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, the senior senator from the home state of American journalist Steven Sotloff.
"It is long overdue for the Obama administration to present to the Congress, the American people, and our allies around the world a comprehensive strategy to respond to the horrific threat ISIS poses," moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins said in a statement.
What can the U.S. do against ISIS in Syria?
And Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, already among the Republicans suggesting Obama has been too timid in responding to the ISIS threat, said it was time to stop debating whether to use U.S. air power against ISIS leadership targets in Syria.
"Condemnation is not enough to deal with this scourge. It is time we act decisively," Graham said. The GOP hawk said airpower had proven to be effective against ISIS targets on a limited basis in Iraq and said now: "It's a tactic that should be aggressively pursued both in Syria and Iraq. Mr. President, if you can't come up with a strategy, at least tell us what the goal is."
The timing also adds to the pressure on the President.
ISIS released the video showing the purported murder of Sotloff as Obama traveled to Europe to attend a NATO summit, where responding to ISIS is a top agenda item.
Miller sees sad irony in the fact that a president who made a name for himself in politics with innovative uses of social media to communicate "is now forced to respond because of this cruel and savage use of it."
(CNN)
