After five months of airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, President Barack Obama is now asking Congress to formally approve a war against Islamic State. (Video via U.S. Central Command)
The request for an authorization for the use of military force, sets up what's expected to be a drawn-out debate among lawmakers. (Video via The White House)
Here are the big takeaways: It lasts three years, doesn't set geographical limits and includes a ban on "enduring offensive ground combat forces."
That last part suggests large-scale ground troops are out of the question, but certain scenarios for boots on the ground, like rescue missions, are permissible. (Video via U.S. Department of Defense)
The intentionally ambiguous language is designed to appease both hawkish Republicans who want the option for ground troops and war-weary Democrats who don't want an open-ended conflict.
So far, the White House had justified its war on Islamic State using both a 2001 AUMF passed after the Sept. 11 attacks and a 2002 authorization for invading Iraq. The new resolution would repeal the 2002 AUMF.
Obama delivered the statement on his proposal Wednesday afternoon.
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