Obama gains support from House to further fight against ISIS

While President Barack Obama told Americans-in somewhat ambiguous terms-last week that he intended to destroy the Islamic State, as of September 17, he promised that the United States will not fight another ground war in Iraq.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Seemingly trying to assuage nonexistent fears after a top general suggested that combat troops should be deployed, the President took a return to his long-term strategy of distancing himself from the Iraq war during his speech at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

If you do nothing in the face of evil, how can you condemn it?

Obama said that airstrikes will be the primary focus of the U.S. to fighting the Islamic State, and that support from the coalition of more than 40 countries is key.

"The American forces that have been deployed to Iraq do not and will not have a combat mission," Obama said.

Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has mixed views on further U.S. involvement, voting to allow the president to arm and train members of the Syrian opposition 273 to 156.

Over 90 House members came to the floor during the six hours of debate over the two days prior to the vote. Democratic and Republican leaders were both in support of the amendment which was put forth by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon, but there was also opposition from the rank and file of both parties.

However, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R. Calif) summed up the arguments in favor of giving Obama the authority to train the Syrians, calling on the president to stop trying to end the war on terrorism and start trying to win it.

"I know that many of us in this chamber from both sides of the aisle believe that the president's strategy should do more to eradicate those extremists from the earth. But despite those reservations, reservations that I share, we must support this amendment and take this first step," he said.

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