Orders air strikes in Syria; rules out US ground troops
Vowing to “degrade and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State militancy, President Barack Obama has authorized airstrikes in Syria and announced plans to expand ongoing operations in Iraq, broaden an international coalition and ramp up military assistance to moderate Syrian rebel groups.
Even as he finally unveiled his “comprehensive strategy” in a prime-time address to the nation, Obama sought to assure war-weary Americans that he would not deploy US combat troops and ruled out any repetition of the type of protracted ground wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are. That means I will not hesitate to take action against ISIl in Syria, as well as Iraq. This is a core principle of my presidency: If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven,” he declared, stressing: “Our objective is clear: we will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIl through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy.”
Obama’s strongly-worded comments came on the eve of 9/11 anniversary and two weeks after he drew flak for saying that he did not have a strategy against ISIS - something that Americans did not want to hear from their President so close on the heels of the beheading of journalist James Foley.
He announced that he would be sending 475 more US service personnel to Iraq, taking the total to more than 1,600, but then made it clear that they would have no combat role. Their only mission would be to train, equip and advise Iraqi and Kurdish security forces.
Despite the skepticism in several quarters about the chances of destroying ISIS without putting American boots on the ground, Obama expressed confidence that the US air power in support of partner forces on the ground would deliver the goods. He argued that that this strategy of taking out terrorists, while supporting partners on the front lines, is the one that the US has successfully employed in Yemen and Somalia to degrade Al Qaeda and deny it a safe haven. This, he said, would also be consistent with his approach “to use force against anyone who threatens America’s core interests, but to mobilize partners wherever possible to address broader challenges to international order”.
Citing the more than 150 airstrikes conducted against ISIS in Iraq so far, Obama said these have been successful, killing militants, destroying weapons, saving the lives of thousands of people and giving space for Iraqi and Kurdish forces to reclaim key territory, apart from protecting American personnel and facilities.
Even while voicing concern at the ISIS’ threats to America, Obama asserted: “This is not our fight alone. American power can make a decisive difference, but we cannot do for Iraqis what they must do for themselves, nor can we take the place of Arab partners in securing their region.”
However, with Iraq finally forming a new, inclusive government, Obama said he can now announce that "America will lead a broad coalition to roll back this terrorist threat".
In Syria, besides the proposed airstrikes, Obama said military assistance was being ramped up for the Syrian opposition forces, who battle both ISIS and the Bashar al-Assad regime. Calling on Congress to approve additional authorities and resources to train and equip the Syrian fighters, he said: “In the fight against ISIl, we cannot rely on an Assad regime that terrorizes its own people - a regime that will never regain the legitimacy it has lost. Instead, we must strengthen the opposition as the best counterweight to extremists like ISIl, while pursuing the political solution necessary to solve Syria’s crisis once and for all.”
Simultaneously, the US will work with its partners to step up efforts to cut off ISIS’ funding, improve intelligence and strengthen defences, said Obama, who would be chairing a meeting of the UN Security Council in two weeks to further mobilise the international community. He, however, conceded that it could be a long battle, remarking: “Now, it will take time to eradicate a cancer like ISIl.”