Obama: We are hitting ISIS ‘harder than ever’

The poll found in that the share of Americans who favor deploying US troops to fight the Islamic State has risen from 31 % to 42 % over the past yr in AP-GfK polling, though it isn’t clear whether or not these respondents favor a little contingent or a bigger ground force which may interact in another protracted Middle Japanese war.

Just 4 in 10 approve of Obama’s handling of the threat posed by IS, terrorism or the USA role in world affairs more generally.

Asked later about current efforts by the US’ Middle East partners, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said “that some” Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations – made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates – appeared “somewhat distracted by the sectarian conflict in Yemen in a way that has diverted resources” from the fight against Islamic State. Coalition aircraft, our fighters, bombers and drones have been increasing the pace of airstrikes — almost 9000 as of today.

Image: President Barack Obama speaks to reporters at the Pentagon.

The president also this week is slated for a briefing at the National Counterterrorism Center.

The public relations campaign, one week before Christmas, comes as the public is jittery about the specter of extremism after deadly attacks in California and Paris.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s office (R-Calif.) said in a statement that the real question of Obama’s Pentagon visit is if anything will really change as a result.

Obama was flanked by Vice President Joe Biden, Defence Secretary Ash Carter and three military generals at the Pentagon when he took the unusual decision to make the address.

“We need to identify and then carry out every conceivable way of accelerating the defeat of ISIL”, Carter said, using an acronym for Islamic State.

“All this said, we recognise that progress needs to keep coming faster…”

“The point is ISIL leaders can not hide and our next message to them is simple: ‘You are next, ‘” Obama said after meeting with his national security team at the Pentagon. Obama also says the US strategy of hunting down leaders, training forces and stopping the group’s financing and propaganda is progressing.

Critics of his strategy continue to ratchet up pressure.

The president restated his multi-prong strategy of a massive air campaign, targeting Islamic State leaders and diplomatic efforts to end the civil war in Syria, where the group has flourished.

Poll: Public rejects idea of barring Muslim immigrants. Another goal is to draw a contrast with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his inflammatory remarks about Muslims. “Some ISIL fighters are defecting”, Obama added. Thirty-one percent now say it’s very or extremely likely, up from 23 percent in January.

The president on Tuesday will show support for new USA citizens at a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives and d Records Administration.

Respondents were more united on airstrikes, with 68 percent supporting, including 84 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of Democrats and 51 percent of independents.