In one of the biggest national security and foreign policy speeches of his presidency, President Barack Obama announced a strategy aimed to “degrade and eventually destroy” the terrorist group known as ISIS or ISIL.
The speech came on the eve of the 13th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks and just weeks after two American journalists — James Foley and Steven Sotloff — were beheaded by ISIS terrorists.
It comes with Obama’s approval ratings sagging but with the American people firmly in favor of him taking action to confront the threat from ISIS.
Here’s what the President laid out.
1. A ‘Systematic’ Campaign of Air Strikes
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Obama vowed to wage a series of air strikes to continue the campaign launched earlier this year, which he said has included more than 150 successful strikes.
The air strikes so far have killed ISIS fighters, protected American facilities and personnel and saved the lives of “thousands of innocent men and women.”
He said the campaign will go beyond protecting American personnel in a bid to destroy ISIS.
Our objective is clear: we will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy. First, we will conduct a systematic campaign of airstrikes against these terrorists. Working with the Iraqi government, we will expand our efforts beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions, so that we’re hitting ISIL targets as Iraqi forces go on offense.
2. A Plan to ‘Hunt Down Terrorists Wherever They Are,’ Including Syria
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Obama said that a core principle of his presidency has been that “if you threaten American, you will find no safe haven.” That means air strikes will target ISIS terrorists in Syria as well as Iraq.
From the speech:
Working with the Iraqi government, we will expand our efforts beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions, so that we’re hitting ISIL targets as Iraqi forces go on offense. Moreover, I have made it clear that 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.
3. An Additional 475 Service Members Sent to Iraq
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Obama said the United States will send an additional 475 service members to Iraq with the goal of providing increasing training, intelligence and equipment to the Iraqi military.
The servicemembers “will not get dragged into another ground war,” he said.
As I have said before, these American forces will not have a combat mission – we will not get dragged into another ground war in Iraq. But they are needed to support Iraqi and Kurdish forces with training, intelligence and equipment. We will also support Iraq’s efforts to stand up National Guard Units to help Sunni communities secure their own freedom from ISIL control.
4. A ‘Broad Coalition’ to Take Out ISIS
British Prime Minister David Cameron (Getty)
Obama said he was encouraged by the recent forming of a united Iraqi government and that the Iraqis would be part of a “broad coalition of nations” aimed at taking out ISIS.
Part of the plan involves a reconstitution of an Iraqi army that has been incapable so far of holding off ISIS.
Here’s what Obama said about the coalition:
America will be joined by a broad coalition of partners. Already, allies are flying planes with us over Iraq; sending arms and assistance to Iraqi Security Forces and the Syrian opposition; sharing intelligence; and providing billions of dollars in humanitarian aid. Secretary Kerry was in Iraq today meeting with the new government and supporting their efforts to promote unity, and in the coming days he will travel across the Middle East and Europe to enlist more partners in this fight, especially Arab nations who can help mobilize Sunni communities in Iraq and Syria to drive these terrorists from their lands.
5. The Need for Congress to Authorize More Funds to Help the Syrian Opposition
Speaker of the House John Boehner. (Getty)
Obama urged Congress to secure funds to train fighters in Syria to fight against ISIS — a complicated process given the raging civil war in that country and the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad, whose forces are fighting against ISIS but who have used chemical weapons against the Syrian people.
From the speech:
Tonight, I again call on Congress to give us additional authorities and resources to train and equip these fighters. In the fight against ISIL, we cannot rely on an Assad regime that terrorizes its 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.
