Ayotte: Obama's Resolve on ISIS about Mid-Term Elections

Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., voiced concerns that the president will step back from his stand on taking out ISIS after midterm elections.

"I'm very concerned about that, and his resolve in this regard. And I think that's something that as a member of the Armed Services Committee, we've got to stay focused on," Ayotte said on "Fox News Sunday."

"And if you look at the pattern here -- I mean look at what happened in Libya. We engaged in airstrikes, and then none of the follow-on in terms of securing the weapons, and obviously what happened with our embassy," she said.

"I think we need to ensure that this isn't just surrounding what we're doing now. He has made clear this is going to take a sustained effort. And he has to be prepared to have the resolve to engage in that sustained effort to destroy ISIS," she added. "Otherwise, we're going to be in a situation where we have a safe haven again where attacks can be launched against us."

Ayotte referenced Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's new book Worthy Fights, which hits book stores Oct. 7. In it, Panetta calls out the Obama administration for failures in foreign and military policy.

"I have respect for him (Panetta), and the military commanders clearly wanted to leave a residual force there. That the president's claim that this was all on the Iraqis does not withstand scrutiny. And I think what we have here is as a problem where the president's foreign policy is being trapped by his campaign rhetoric," Ayotte said.

"And I'm very fearful that as we look at the current military strategy that it is surrounding the November elections and that he won't have the resolve to follow through with what needs to be done in a sustained effort to destroy ISIS. And we're about to repeat the same thing with regard to Afghanistan, which Secretary Panetta also mentions in his book as well," she added.

Ayotte also addressed the recent White House breach and questioned what would happen if there was a more sophisticated attack against the White House.

In his book Panetta reiterates that it was mistake the White House didn't make a deal with Iraq's leadership in 2011 to keep American troops in the country.

He also publicly advocated for training and security for Iraq's military. He believes a small contingent of troops could have helped the Iraqi government deal with al Qaeda terrorists in that country.

The former defense secretary also criticizes the Obama administration for rejecting the advice he and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave to begin arming Syrian rebels in 2012.

Panetta criticizes the president for failing to order military action after Syria used toxic chemicals against its own people, calling the decision a "blow to American credibility."