US will counter ISIS terror plotters in any country: Obama

Washington, Jan 29: The US will continue to counter terror plotters of Islamic State militant group in any country where necessary, President Barack Obama has said while directing his national security team to intensify its ongoing counter-terrorism campaign to destroy the terror outfit. In a meeting with his National Security Council, Obama discussed intensification of US campaign to degrade and destroy Islamic State (ISIS).

"The President emphasised that the US will continue to counter ISIL (another name of ISIS) terrorist plotters in any country where it is necessary," the White House said.

Noting that ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) affiliates and other violent extremists attempt to find safe haven in areas with limited or poor governance, he directed his national security team to continue efforts to strengthen governance and support ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in Libya and other countries where ISIL has sought to establish a presence.

"Degrading and destroying ISIL will continue to require coordination and cooperation among a wide range of global partners, and the US is strongly committed to continuing to lead the shared efforts of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL," the White House said.

Obama was briefed on ways the US and its partners in the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL continue to accelerate and integrate the military campaign and diplomatic efforts on all possible fronts, including working with international partners to counter ISIL's stated goal of expansion beyond Iraq and Syria, the White House added.

Meanwhile, GOP presidential candidates continued to slam Obama administration for its ISIS policies. "We have to have an honest discussion with the American people about the nature of the threat that we confront.

This president says that ISIS has nothing to do with Islam, and as a result has put together a strategy that doesn't take care of what the reality is, which is ISIS has established a caliphate," Rick Santorum, a Republican presidential candidate said during the undercard debate.

Another presidential aspirant Carly Fiorina described ISIS as the main threat to the US. "Let me tell you this: news flash, President Obama, news flash, Mrs Clinton -- climate change is not our most pressing national security threat. Actually it is ISIS, followed closely by Iran," she said.

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee called for a comprehensive ISIS policy. "First of all, take away their access to social media platforms. They are using the same social media platforms to recruit, and to train, and to direct people as I use to see pictures of my grandkids. That's ridiculous," he said.

PTI