Obama Says Strategy Against Islamic State Will Be 'Steady, Relentless'
As President Barack Obama prepares to address the American public on the Islamic State threat Wednesday evening, advanced excerpts of his speech provided by the White House indicate the president will discuss a "comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy" that will prove "steady and relentless."
The president is expected to deliver a live, televised address to the U.S. at 9 p.m. eastern time on Wednesday discussing how the U.S. will "degrade and ultimately destroy" the Islamic State, which recently beheaded two American journalists it had been holding hostage.
"Tonight, with a new Iraqi government in place, and following consultations with allies abroad and Congress at home, I can announce that America will lead a broad coalition to roll back this terrorist threat. Our objective is clear: we will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy," Obama will reportedly relay to the American people, according to advanced excerpts from his speech released by the White House.
The president will also seek to calm the fears of Americans who are wary of entering into another military mission with Iraq and possibly Syria.
"I want the American people to understand how this effort will be different from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will not involve American combat troops fighting on foreign soil. This counter-terrorism campaign will be waged through a steady, relentless effort to take out ISIL wherever they exist using our air power and our support for partner forces on the ground. This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years," another statement from the president adds.
The president also met with Congress on Tuesday evening to discuss his strategy for the Islamic State. Although the president told leading lawmakers that he has the power to go through with the strategy without congressional approval, he would appreciate their support because he believes it would show the rest of the world that the United States is on a united front.
