Tri-Service
Obama Rules Out Using Ground Troops in IS Fight
US president Barack Obama says the US-led military coalition will succeed in destroying the Islamic State group, as he asked Congress for fresh war powers.
Speaking at the White House, he said the draft authorisation he sent Congress does not call for the deployment of ground forces.
He said that would not be necessary to fight IS, although he left open the possibility that he could deploy special forces in limited circumstances.
Mr Obama asked the United States Congress to authorise a three-year military campaign against Islamic State which will see air strikes and local forces training and assistance continue.
Congress will vote on the strategy in the coming weeks.
"It is not the authorisation of another ground war like Afghanistan or Iraq," he said.
"Our coalition is strong, our cause is just, and our mission will succeed."
Mr Obama added that the coalition was firmly on the offensive, vowing that "Isil is going to lose."
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