Obama: ISIS Will Be Defeated

Barack Obama, the President of the United States, stated on Wednesday, February 11, that the Islamic State group, known as ISIS, will be defeated. Earlier that day, he had requested Congress to authorize military operations against ISIS. According to CNN, Obama, speaking at a press conference at the White House, said, "Our coalition is on the offensive, and ISIS is on the defensive, and ISIS will be defeated." Reports indicated that the U.S. President had asked Congress to approve the use of military force against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Obama clarified that this military authorization would not equate to sending troops to Iraq and Syria. He stated, "I am convinced that the United States should not again enter into a ground war in the Middle East." He emphasized that under his three-year plan, "ground engagement will only be necessary in special circumstances." Obama urged Congress members to show that Americans are united on this issue. The Islamic State group managed to seize large areas of Iraq during the summer. Since then, the U.S. and an international coalition have conducted airstrikes against the group's positions in Iraq and Syria. This is the first time since 2002 that a U.S. President has made such a request to Congress. George W. Bush, the then-President, requested Congress to authorize the attack on Iraq in 2002. However, Obama stated on Wednesday that the draft military authorization does not change the mission's principle "to degrade and destroy" the Islamic State group. While Republicans in Congress are calling for the use of U.S. ground forces against ISIS, some Democrats oppose this. The draft military authorization does not specify the exact geographical coordinates of military operations. A White House spokesperson had previously stated that the lack of precise geographical references allows for the pursuit of extremist forces beyond the borders of Syria or Iraq.