House Armed Services Head Seeks New IS Plan; Says Ground Troops Essential for US to Defeat IS

The chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Armed Services said yesterday that President Obama's war strategy in Iraq is failing and the commander-in-chief needs a new plan, the Washington Times website reports today (October 9, 2014).

U.S. Rep. Howard McKeon, California Republican, said Obama needs to consider new options -- including American ground troops -- for the air-war-only strategy.

"Evidence is mounting that an 'Iraq first' approach focused on airstrikes isn't degrading ISIL," said McKeon

For more than a month, McKeon has advocated putting a relatively small number of U.S. ground troops into the battle to aid the beleaguered Iraq Security Force. The Iraqi troops retreated en masse in June when the Islamic State invaded from Syria and seized much terrain. The Islamic State is now maneuvering to take control of Iraq's capital, Baghdad.