As the number of American troops sent to Iraq nearly doubled on Monday and the White House continues to flex its executive privilege to make unilateral military decisions,citizens and lawmakers alike are raising concerns and objections over the escalating American presence in the country, asking: Are we nearing ‘mission creep’?

“A continued escalation of U.S. commitment in Iraq is troubling,” said Iraq war veteran and U.S. Senator John Walsh (D-Mont.) in a statement Tuesday.

Echoing the concerns of many, the lawmaker continued: “The President has promised to prevent ‘mission creep.’ But how many Americans will we deploy? How much money will we spend? How long until we demand the Iraqi people stand up and defend their own government?”

Walsh’s comments came a day after it was announced that President Obama had deployed 300 additional troops, as well as more helicopters and armed Predator drones, to the war-torn nation. Operating under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, Obama has thus far sent roughly 650 American troops to Iraq. The legislation permits the president to send up to 770 troops to the country without Congressional approval.

During a Pentagon press conference on Tuesday, press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby refused to rule out the possibility that more troops would be sent.

“Is there a grand total? No,” Kirby told reporters. “But in terms of the grand total limit, he’s the commander in chief. He makes these decisions. And he needs the freedom to make those decisions as he and the military commanders and the civilian leadership here in the Pentagon advise him to.”