Obama pushes for force against IS

President threatens to 'take out terrorists' who pose threat to the US and its allies

United States President Barack Obama asked lawmakers on Tuesday to grant him more powers to defeat Islamic State extremists in Iraq and Syria.

The US has already unleashed dozens of airstrikes against the militants since September, but the president has said it will take time to "degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group".

In his sixth State of the Union address, he said: "I call on this Congress to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against ISIL. "We need that authority."

Authorization for the use of military force gave President George W. Bush permission to use all "necessary and appropriate force" against those whom he determined "planned, authorized, committed or aided" the attacks of Sept 11, 2001. It was signed on Sept 18 2001 and also targeted those who harbored said persons or groups.

Obama wants a new AUMF, one specifically dealing with IS.

The president said: "We will continue to hunt down terrorists and dismantle their networks, and we reserve the right to act unilaterally ... to take out terrorists who pose a direct threat to us and our allies."

His speech came two weeks after gunmen launched a number of attacks in Paris, leaving 17 people dead. Europe has been on high alert since the bloody events of Jan 7, with anti-terror raids taking place in Belgium and Germany.

The president said: "We stand united with people around the world who've been targeted by terrorists - from a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris."

As Obama mentioned the killings at the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, in which several cartoonists were gunned down, US lawmakers rose to their feet to pay tribute, some waving yellow pencils.

He also denounced the "deplorable anti-Semitism" that was again being seen in places around the world and that the US rejected "offensive stereotypes of Muslims, the vast majority of whom share our commitment to peace."

AFP - Reuters - AP