Obama asks Congress for authorization to use force against ISIS

President Barack Obama Wednesday asked Congress to authorize US military force against the Islamic State group, limited to three years, to counter “a direct threat to the United States.”  In his letter, he said ISIS "poses a threat to the people and stability of Iraq, Syria and the broader Middle East and to US national security." His proposal would ban "enduring offensive combat operations” i.e. large-scale ground operations, but asked for flexibility for “ground combat operations in other more limited circumstances.” These would include rescue missions, intelligence collection and "special operations forces for possible military action against ISIS leaders". In his letter, he listed four American hostages who died in Islamic State custody and the threat the group posed “beyond the Mid East including the US homeland.”