Wants war ... US President Barack Obama has proposed military action against ISIS. Picture: AP Source: AP
Ancient sites in Syria and Iraq are being damaged by war and looted by Islamic State and others trying to cash in on the antiquities market. A group called Heritage for Peace is trying to stem the tide. Photo AFP/Getty Images.
US President Barack Obama has sent legislation to Congress to formally authorise war against Islamic State militants.
The president, elected on a promise to end America's wars, is sending Congress a proposed joint resolution to authorise military force against the swift rise of IS extremists, who are imposing violent rule across Iraq and Syria and have brazenly killed US and allied hostages in brutal online propaganda videos.
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In a five-paragraph letter to politicians accompanying the three-page draft resolution provided to The Associated Press, Mr Obama said IS "poses a threat to the people and stability of Iraq, Syria and the broader Middle East and to US national security."
Killed ... Islamic State hostage Kayla Mueller was held captive and killed. Picture: AFP/Arizona Courier/Matt Hinshaw Source: AFP
"It threatens American personnel and facilities located in the region and is responsible for the deaths of US citizens James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Abdul-Rahman Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller," Mr Obama said, listing the American hostages who died in IS custody.
"If left unchecked, ISIL will pose a threat beyond the Middle East, including to the United States homeland."
Mr Obama plans to speak on his request from the White House on Wednesday afternoon.
Mr Obama's proposal launches an ideological debate over what authorities and limitations the president should have in pursuit of the extremists, with the shadow of lost American lives hanging over its fate.
The proposal si the first time a president has sought congressional approval to go to war since politicians voted in 2002 to authorise George W. Bush's plan to invade Iraq.
Mr Obama has however said the proposal would avoid a large scale invasion and occupation.
House Speaker, Republican John Boehner, said he had concerns about voting for a war that limits the military from implementing an appropriate and effective strategy.
"Any authorisation for the use of military force must give our military commanders the flexibility and authorities they need to succeed and protect our people," he said. 'I have concersn that the president's request does not meet this standard."
Democrat Adam B. Schiff of California, the lead on the House Intelligence Committee, said he worried that the president's proposal set no geographic limits to the military campaign.
Confirmation of the death of 26-year-old humanitarian worker Mueller on the eve of Mr Obama's proposal added new urgency, while the costly long-running wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were a caution to some politicians against yet another protracted military campaign.
Mr Obama is offering to limit authorisation to three years, extending to the next president the powers and the debate over renewal for what he envisions as a long-range battle.
Beheaded ... journalist James Foley was the first American IS hostage to be killed. Picture: AP Photo/freejamesfoley.org, Nicole Tung Source: AAP
US freelance journalist Steven Sotloff was kidnapped in Syria in August 2013. Picture: EPA/Mazen Mahdi Source: Supplied
Peter Kassig was captured by IS militants on 1 October 2013. Picture: Supplied Source: AFP
He is proposing no geographic limitations where US forces could pursue the elusive militants. The authorisation covers the IS and "associated persons or forces", defined as those fighting on behalf of or alongside IS "or any closely-related successor entity in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners."
Mr Obama's resolution would repeal a 2002 authorisation for force in Iraq but maintain a 2001 authorisation against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, although Mr Obama said in his letter to politicians his goal is to refine and ultimately repeal that authorisation as well.
Mr Obama's proposal bans "enduring offensive combat operations," a novel term in military force authorisations. Its ambiguity is designed to bridge the divide between politicians opposed to ground troops and those who say the commander in chief should maintain the option.
Mr Obama said his draft would not authorise long-term, large-scale ground combat operations like those deployed in the past to Iraq and Afghanistan, arguing those battles should be left to local forces instead of the US military.
Destruction ... a Free Syrian Army fighter from Shams al-Shamal heads to the front line in Kobane after pushing out Islamic State militants. Picture: AP Photo/Jake Simkin Source: AP
"The authorisation I propose would provide the flexibility to conduct ground combat operations in other more limited circumstances, such as rescue operations involving US or coalition personnel or the use of special operations forces to take military action against ISIL leadership," Obama said, using an acronym for the group.
Sen. Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he appreciated the president seeking the authorisation and would quickly begin holding "rigorous hearings" on the White House request.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the provision would allow special operations missions, such as potential raids targeting IS leaders and the failed attempt last summer to rescue Mueller and other hostages held by the group.
Mr Obama's draft resolution opens with a list of declarations against IS's "depraved, violent, and oppressive ideology," including its seizure of significant territory in Iraq and Syria, its intention and capability to expand its reach, mass killings of Muslims who don't subscribe to its beliefs, genocide against other religious groups and violence against women.
Strikes ... Emirati pilots at an air base in Jordan after the UAE launched air strikes targeting the Islamic State group. Picture: AP Photo/WAM Source: AP
Mr Obama argues the congressional authorisations President George W. Bush used to justify military action after 9/11 are sufficient for him to deploy more than 2700 US troops to train and assist Iraqi security forces and conduct ongoing air strikes against targets in Iraq and Syria. Critics have said Mr Obama is overstepping outdated authorities to target the new threat from militants imposing a violent form of Sharia law in pursuit of the establishment of an Islamic state.
Presidential aides have consulted privately with politicians from both parties ahead of unveiling the plan publicly in hopes of lining up support, despite the political divisions that have deadlocked Washington in Obama's second term.
War ... fighters shoot a machine gun toward the position of the Islamic State group on the outskirts of Kobane. Picture: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda Source: AP
In anticipation of debate and attempts to amend the resolution, Mr Earnest called the offer a "starting point for conversations to take place."
Mr Earnest said the language limiting ground troops was designed not just for domestic political considerations, but to take in the viewpoint of leaders in Iraq and members of the US-Arab coalition targeting IS uncomfortable with the idea of a large deployment of US forces.
He also said the lack of geographic limitations will allow pursuit of the extremists beyond the borders of Iraq and Syria.
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