(VOVworld) – On Wednesday US President Barack Obama sent Congress his long-awaited formal request to authorise military force against the Islamic State, calling the IS a threat to the people and stability of Iraq, Syria, and the Middle East, and to US national security.
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US President Barack Obama delivers a statement on legislation sent to Congress to authorize the use of military force against the Islamic State, at the White Houseon February 11, 2015. (Photo: Reuters)
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Mr Obama urged the Congress during his State of the Union address to formally authorise a military campaign to show the unity between the US government and Congress in the mission of defeating the IS.
Many of Obama’s fellow Democrats have insisted the plan is too broad and could drag the US into another ground war. The US House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on Obama’s request on Friday.
In another development, Turkish police have arrested a Turkish citizen and 13 foreigners trying to reach to Syria to join the IS. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said last Wednesday that Turkey has deported a thousand foreigners and restricted nearly 10,000 Turkish nationals from going abroad to avoid IS recruitment of jihadists to fight in Iraq and Syria.