It's time to go after ISIS in Iraq and Syria, President Barack Obama said Wednesday night in a nationally televised address intended to sell stepped-up military efforts to a war-weary public. Announcing a broad campaign against the Sunni jihadists who have rampaged from Syria across northern Iraq, Obama announced an escalated U.S. military role as part of a strategy that includes building an international coalition to support Iraqi ground forces and perhaps troops from other allies. U.S. airstrikes have been hitting the jihadists in Iraq. Those strikes will be expanded to ISIS targets in Syria, Obama said. "I have made it clear that we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are," he said. "That means I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL in Syria, as well as Iraq. This is a core principle of my presidency: if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven."
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Officials: We will strike in Syria at a time and place of our choosing
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President Obama says airstrikes will include ISIS targets in Syria
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Obama asks Congress for authority to arm and train Syrian rebels
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ISIS presents a bigger threat than al Qaeda, veteran U.S. diplomat tells CNN
Noting the formation of a new Iraqi government, which his administration has demanded, Obama announced that "@placeholder will lead a broad coalition to roll back this terrorist threat."
As the tide has turned against @placeholder's opposition, which now finds itself fighting both government forces and ISIS, the United States began its covert aid to some rebel factions.