WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama said Monday that the United States has embarked on a long-term mission to defeat the insurgents of the so-called "Islamic State" fighting in Iraq.
Ten days after ordering air strikes against the militants, Obama warned that IS remains a threat to Iraq and the wider region, telling Baghdad "the wolf is at the door."
Previously, Obama has been at pains to describe the US operation as limited but, as American jets pound IS positions outside Mosul, he said it would form part of a broader political strategy.
"We will continue to pursue a long-term strategy to turn the tide against ISIL by supporting the new Iraqi government and working with key partners in the region," he said, using one of the group's acronyms.
Obama repeated his support for new Iraqi premier Haidar al-Abadi's attempts to form a more inclusive government, but warned he must act quickly to undercut support for the radicals.
"I was impressed in my conversation with him about his vision for an inclusive government but they've got to get this done because the wolf's at the door," he told reporters.
"In order for them to be credible with the Iraqi people, they're going to have to put behind some of the old practices and actually create a credible united government.
"Our goal is to have effective partners on the ground. And if we have effective partners on the ground, mission creep is much less likely," promising a joint "counter-terrorism" strategy with Iraq and US allies.
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"On the other hand, Obama probably wants to extend the time of military operations in the Middle East front, avoiding another risky and costly wide conflict with ISIS, and simultaneously, buy some time to avoid a dangerous conflict with Russia."
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@Munir Ahmed: O
USA attacked Afghanistan because that's where OBL and Al Qaeda was located and the Taliban had refused to hand them over. Why does 58% of the terrorist being Saudi's mean anything - does that imply that if 58% were Pakistani's that the USA should have declared war on Pakistan?
@Munir Ahmed: there is a difference in capturing and using the USA weaponry left by Iraqi forces and supplying the weaponry by USA itself to IS. . The terrorists may have been born/ in Saudi Arabia but they get shelter in Afghanistan after the 9/11 . yes, Saudi and Qatar has been ally of Hamas but they have distanced from ISIS publicly. Saudi funding for the extremist ideology is dangerous and KSA shall have to pay for it.
Obama is repeating the Bush mistake. When 11 out of 19 WTC terrorists were from Saudi Arabia, the US attacked Afghanistan. The terrorists fighting for ISIS are from across Arab countries, UK, Europe, Australia etc and the sources of funds are Saudi Arabia and Qatar which are US allies, and the weapons are supplied by the US itself, sending air missions now and advisers is completely a wrong strategy.