As Obama considers ISIS strategy, militants continue propaganda push
President Obama flies to Europe on Tuesday ahead of talks with NATO allies over the crisis in Ukraine. But they will also discuss the growing threat posed by ISIS, the Islamic extremists who have seized control of large sections of Iraq and Syria.
While Mr. Obama was touting an improving economy in Wisconsin, the terror group released the third issue of its English language online magazine, complete with pictures of the group executing Syrian soldiers and blowing up the homes of those who cooperated with police.
The slickly produced publication calls the beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley "a cooling balm for the believers' hearts" and claims "Foley's blood is on Obama's hands" because of airstrikes he ordered against ISIS fighters in Iraq -- 123 in all since the start of August.
But the group's center of power is in Syria, and Mr. Obama admitted late last week the U.S. still does not have a strategy for confronting ISIS there.
ISIS will be at the top of the agenda when Mr. Obama meets with British prime minister David Cameron and other European leaders at the NATO summit in Wales later this week.
Cameron announced Monday that the U.K. government now believes at least 500 people have traveled from Britain to join rebel groups, including ISIS.
Cameron wants to give U.K. police temporary power to seize passports from citizens suspected of fighting abroad.
"It is abhorrent that people who declare their allegiance elsewhere are able to return to the United Kingdom and pose a threat to our national security," said Cameron.
The White House has made it clear that it prefers to pull together a coalition of nations to take on ISIS in Syria instead of going it alone. But that approach is testing the patience of some lawmakers including one top Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who said she thinks the president is being too cautious.
