Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher suggests US should 'support' ISIS

Californian congressman Dana Rohrabacher has proposed that the United States might want to consider "finally" joining forces with the Islamic State in an attempt to wipe out their mutual enemies.

The remarks were made during a House hearing on Islamist militant group Hezbollah, in which he also made reference to a recent ISIS terror attack in Tehran as "a good thing".

The attack on the country's parliamentary building resulted in the deaths of 17 Iranian civilians and injuries to dozens more.

"We have recently seen an attack on Iran, and the Iranian government - the Mullahs - believe that Sunni forces have attacked them," Mr Rohrabacher told those gathered on Capitol Hill.

"This may signal a ratcheting up of certain commitments by the United States of America. As far as I'm concerned, I just want to make this point and see what you think.

"Isn't it a good thing for us to have the United States finally backing up Sunnis who will attack Hezbollah and the Shi'ite threat to us? Isn't that a good thing?

"And if so, maybe this is a Trump strategy of actually supporting one group against another, considering that you have two terrorist organisations."

The person he was directing that suggestion at, Washington Institute's counterterrorism and intelligence director Dr Matthew Levitt, was less than impressed.

"Those attacks were claimed by the Islamic State. It's never in our interest to support a terrorist group like the Islamic State," he said.

"We should condemn the attacks in Tehran, as we would condemn any act of terrorism, even as we hold Iran accountable for its sponsorship of terrorism."

Mr Rohrabacher's comments have landed him in hot water with the general public, who have criticised him for suggesting a strategy that would serve to strengthen ISIS.

A statement from the Trump administration after the Tehran attacks said "states that sponsor terrorism risk falling victim to the evil they promote" - words that some have been unearthed to deliver a damning response to Mr Rohrabacher.

Newshub.