Barack Obama: US President Rules Out Ground Troops in Fight Against Islamic State Group:
President Barack Obama ruled out a shift in strategy in the struggle against Islamic State on Monday despite the fatal strikes in Paris, saying placing more U.S. troops on the earth as sought by his political critics “would be a blunder.”
Talking after a G20 summit in Turkey, Obama described the strikes in France that killed 129 people as “a horrible and sickening reverse” and vowed to redouble efforts to ruin Islamic State, even as the group threatened to attack Washington.
Aware of the problems the United States had in commanding Iraq after its invasion in 2003, Obama is extremely loath to commit American ground forces to Middle East battle zones.
“We will continue the strategy which has the very best possibility of working,” he told a news conference, adding that there would be “an intensification” of the attempt against Islamic State.
Obama has been criticized for his government’s handling of the present chaos in Syria and Iraq, with some Republicans calling for a much more competitive strategy that will contain more U.S. troops on the earth in the area.
Obama pushed back against the Republicans and said some were simply advocating what the government had already done against Islamic State while others appeared to believe if he were “simply more bellicose … that would really make a difference.”
“This isn’t a conventional military adversary. We can retake land and it can be held by us. However that will not solve the inherent issue of removing the dynamics which are creating these types of violent, extremist groups,” Obama said.
A A majority of Americans want America to intensify its attack on Islamic State following the Paris assaults, where the militant group is based, but most stay opposed to sending troops to Iraq or Syria, a Reuters/Ipsos survey found.
Nevertheless, the procedure by which it shares intelligence and operational military advice with France is being streamlined by America.
Obama criticized as “black” the notion that Christian
refugees ought to be given preference by America in
Over disclosing individuals fleeing violence in Syria conclusions.
