President Barack Obama will use a primetime speech on Wednesday to outline his plans for war against ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
He’ll make the speech from the White House at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
Prior to the speech, he’s meeting with top congressional leaders on Tuesday afternoon, and his deputies are providing classified briefings to congressional staffers.
On Thursday, one day after the speech, members of Congress will get classified briefings from the administration.
This week, Obama dispatched deputies to countries in the region to win their diplomatic, military and funding participation for the campaign.
“Ultimately, all of this is directed towards … degrading and ultimately destroying ISIL,” Josh Earnest, the White House’s spokesman, said Tuesday.
However, Earnest did not say Obama will try to delegitimize the Islamist army’s central jihad idea, which declares that Muslims have divine authority to attack other religious groups, democracies and individuals who are not Muslim.
Obama’s speech is linked to the formation of an new Iraqi government, he said.
“The president will talk about our continuing effort now that they have formed an inclusive government and united the country,” he said. The new government “is a key turning point.”
Earnest also downplayed the probability that Obama will ask Congress for permission to launch the air war against ISIS.
“The president believes strongly in robust congressional consultation,” he said, vaguely.
“A congressional buy-in … is very important,” he said, while fending off questions about the president’s authority to launch an air war against the Islamist army.