Obama clarifies his plans how to combat militants

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday clarified some of the language in his new proposal to Congress for an Authorization of Military Force (AUMF) against ISIL, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.
President Obama stressed that if any boots are needed on the ground, they would be in the form of US Special Forces, and only in cases where the local army is unable to handle a specific mission.
"I'm convinced that the United States should not get dragged back into another prolonged ground war in the Middle East. That's not in our national security interest and it's not necessary for us to defeat ISIL," Obama told reporters in remarks delivered at the White House, late on Wednesday.
"Local forces on the ground who know their countries best are best positioned to take the ground fight to ISIL - and that's what they're doing," he added. "At the same time, this resolution strikes the necessary balance by giving us the flexibility we need for unforeseen circumstances. For example, if we had actionable intelligence about a gathering of ISIL leaders, and our partners didn't have the capacity to get them, I would be prepared to order our Special Forces to take action, because I will not allow these terrorists to have a safe haven," he explained.
"So we need flexibility, but we also have to be careful and deliberate," the president noted.
The new AUMF proposal "does not call for the deployment of US ground combat forces to Iraq or Syria. It is not the authorization of another ground war, like Afghanistan or Iraq," Obama stressed. "The 2,600 American troops in Iraq today largely serve on bases -- and, yes, they face the risks that come with service in any dangerous environment. But they do not have a combat mission. They are focused on training Iraqi forces, including Kurdish forces," he said. The AUMF tailored for the fight against ISIL also "repeals the 2002 authorization of force for the invasion of Iraq and limits this new authorization to three years," Obama noted. "I do not believe America's interests are served by endless war, or by remaining on a perpetual war footing." The president said he is "confident [the AUMF] will win bipartisan support," and pledged that he will "work closely with leaders and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle," to get the legislation passed.