Obama’s strategy for destroying the Islamic State: No timeline, no cost

World Today

President Barack Obama addresses the nation from the Cross Hall in the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2014.AP Photo/Saul Loeb

In his primetime address to the American people Wednesday night, U.S. President Barack Obama laid out a four-point strategy to defeat the Islamic militant group, Islamic State. IS has taken over a swath of Iraq and Syria along the border between the two countries.

“ISIL poses a threat to the people of Iraq and Syria, and the broader Middle East –- including American citizens, personnel and facilities,” Obama said. “If left unchecked, these terrorists could pose a growing threat beyond that region – including to the United States.”

Despite distinguishing his approach to a threat emanating from Iraq as decidedly different from his predecessor, President George W. Bush, Obama finds himself sending more U.S. assets and troops into the region — though not in a combat role — after running on a platform of ending the Iraq War and bringing U.S. troops home for good.

Here is Obama’s strategy:

  1. Air strikes in Iraq and beyond
  2. Training and arming the moderate Syrian opposition to fight IS
  3. Launching counter-terrorism operations to cut off funding for IS
  4. Continuing humanitarian assistance to the populations displaced by IS

He mentioned no timeline and detailed no cost estimate for the engagement. And he didn’t ask for congressional authorization for the actions he plans to take.

The White House said he can take all of these steps under the 2001 Authorization of Military Force, the same one that President George W. Bush used to send thousands of combat troops to Iraq.

When asked earlier Wednesday why the president would not be announcing a timeline, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the goal of destroying and defeating the Islamic State is “not a short-term proposition.”

Related: What is IS, and where do they get their money?

“Well, it means that I think the American people need to expect that this is something that will require a sustained commitment,” he said.

U.S. air strikes in Syria?

And yet, another question remained open from Wednesday’s speech. Would Obama authorize air strikes in Syria, where IS has acquired safe haven? This is as close as he came to answering that: “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,” Obama said early in his remarks.”

By Wednesday afternoon, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest had made it clear that the president was in fact reviewing targets in Syria that had been identified by the U.S. military. The White House would not give any more specifics about the scope or timing for potential strikes, but it did make clear that they would provide the air support for the moderate Syrian opposition — those the White House says it has been vetting for the past few years, initially to arm them against the government of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, but now to arm them against the Islamic State.

Congress is weighing when to vote on Obama’s request for authorization to arm the Syrian opposition. The White House wants it attached to a must-pass spending bills expected to go to a vote in the next seven days. After that, Congress takes a week-long break.

Take our quiz: Which US president said this about Iraq?

Republican House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday that he supported the president’s request, but would not pledge bring up the vote on the White House’s timing.

“An F16 is not a strategy. Air strikes alone will not accomplish what we want to accomplish,” Boehner said. “The president made clear, no boots. Someone’s boots have to be on the ground. So I believe that we should give Obama what he’s asking for.”


See all our our reporting on the threat of the Islamic State here.