President Barack Obama is set to seek Congress’ approval to give more aid to arm and support moderate Syrian rebels as part of the United State’s preliminary groundwork in the war-torn country against the Islamic State.
Obama will ask the Congress tonight in his address that will unveil the U.S.’ plans against the extremist militants, Fox News reported.
According to sources in the White House, the president has already asked congressional leaders in a meeting late Tuesday, to quickly pass a measure providing him the power to increase support to Syrian rebels.
The opposition rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are meant to support the ground once the U.S. launches its airstrikes against Islamic State’s stronghold in Syria, the aide said. This strategy is already implemented in Iraq, where Iraqi forces, Kurdish fighters and Sunni tribes are being trained and equipped by American troops to battle the militants.
Obama has already ruled out the possibility of deploying foot soldiers in the territories controlled ISIS, and pledged this war will not become “another Iraq”, referring to the “war on terror” launched in 2003.
While Obama will seek courtesy from the Congress, officials said that the president will push for more aid to Syrian rebels even without formal sign-off from lawmakers as an effort to step up operations against the militants, the Associated Press reported.
In the huddle with congressional leaders at the White House, Obama told lawmakers that he “has the authority he needs to take action” against the Islamic State militants although he would still welcome proposals and actions from Congress that would “aid the overall effort and demonstrate to the world that the United States is united in defeating the threat.”
