Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/615930
ByRobertBurns The Associated Press WASHINGTON President Barack Obama on Monday vowed to accelerate the U.S.-led military campaign against the Islamic State in both Syria and Iraq, im- plicitly acknowledging that progress has been too slow as the extremist group ex- pands its reach with deadly attacks beyond the Middle East. Speaking at the Penta- gon after meeting with his National Security Coun- cil, Obama revealed that a group of American spe- cial operations comman- dos has begun working with local fighters in Syria to "tighten the squeeze" on Raqqa, the extremists' nominal capital. He cited this as an example of ag- gressive new action, in ad- dition to an intensified bombing of the oil infra- structure in Syria that pro- vides much of the Islamic State's revenue. The administration an- nounced in late October that Obama had approved sending up to 50 special op- erations troops to Syria on the first open-ended mis- sion by U.S. ground forces in Syria. Until now, U.S. of- ficials had refused to say whether the American com- mandos had begun their mission. Obama said his strat- egy is moving ahead with "a great sense of urgency," an assertion that critics say belies the slow pace of progress in Iraq and Syria. Drawing an implied con- trast with military prescrip- tions offered by Republican presidential candidates, in- cluding Ted Cruz's call to "carpet bomb them into oblivion," Obama said, "We have to be smart, targeting ISIL surgically, with preci- sion" airstrikes while local forces do the ground com- bat. As national security takes center stage in the presidential race, Obama also is hoping to counter Donald Trump and his in- flammatory remarks about Muslims, which Obama be- lieves endangers U.S. na- tional security. On a conference call Monday with religious leaders, top White House officials pledged vigilance by the Justice Department in pursuing hate crimes and other civil rights viola- tions, calling an attack on any faith an attack on all faiths. Obama's aides were also holding separate meet- ings at the White House with Muslim leaders and with Sikh leaders. The president's appear- ance at the Pentagon was part of a weeklong push to explain his strategy for stopping the Islamic State group abroad and its sym- pathizers at home. Obama is scheduled to attend a briefing at the National Counterterrorism Cen- ter on Thursday. He noted that his defense secretary, Ash Carter, departed Mon- day for Turkey and the Mid- dle East to seek more coali- tion military contributions to the counter-IS campaign. He also sent Secretary of State John Kerry to Mos- cow to try to narrow gaps with Russia over a politi- cal transition to end Syria's civil war. The president's string of terror-related appear- ances this week, shortly before Christmas, comes amid public jitters about the specter of extremism after deadly attacks in Cal- ifornia and Paris. Seven in 10 Americans rate the risk of an attack in the U.S. as at least somewhat high, ac- cording to an Associated Press-GfK poll — a sharp increase from the five in 10 who said that in January. Just 28 percent in the sur- vey said Obama had clearly explained the United States' goals in fighting the Islamic State, while 68 percent said he had not. Only a little over a week ago Obama sought to allay concerns in an Oval Office address, but critics said his words failed to reassure. "The American people are smart enough to know when something is work- ing or not, and it's obvious that the president's cur- rent strategy isn't work- ing," House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in response to Obama's appearance at the Penta- gon. Speaking with top mili- tary leaders at his side, in- cluding Gen. Lloyd Aus- tin, the Central Command chief who is spearheading the counter-IS campaign, Obama cited a range of ev- idence that IS is weakening, including what he called in- stances of its fighters de- fecting and its territory shrinking. But he also ac- knowledged that recent ter- rorists attacks, including those in Paris and San Ber- nardino, illustrate the need to hit IS harder. "We recognize that prog- ress needs to keep coming faster," Obama said. EXTREMIST GROUP Obama vows to hit IS harder, sa ys c om ma nd os n ow i n Sy ri a EVANVUCCI—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS President Barack Obama, accompanied by, from le , Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Commander of U.S. Central Command Gen. Lloyd Austin, speaks at the Pentagon on Monday about the fight against the Islamic State group. RICK BOWMER — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE A drone is demonstrated in Brigham City, Utah. By Tom Krisher The Associated Press Spurred by numerous reports of drones flying near jets and airports, the federal government will require that the aircraft be registered to make it eas- ier to identify owners and educate amateur aviators. The move, announced Monday by the Federal Aviation Administration, comes at a time when the agency is receiving more than 100 reports per month about drones flying near manned aircraft. The FAA prohibits drones and model airplanes from fly- ing higher than 400 feet or within5milesofanairport. Drones have become increasingly popular with hobbyists. The FAA es- timates that 1.6 million small unmanned aircraft will be sold this year, with half during the last three months of the year. The drones must be marked with the owner's unique registration num- ber. The FAA said that would let authorities track down owners if they violate the rules. But registration also gives the agency a ve- hicletoeducateownersjust as thousands get drones as presents for Christmas and other holidays. The requirement covers aircraft weighing from more than half pound up to 55 pounds, including any payload such as a cam- era. Drone owners who are 13 and older will have to register on an FAA web- site that becomes available starting Dec. 21. The FAA expects parents to register for younger children. Registration will cost $5 and must be renewed every three years, but the fee will be waived for the first 30 days, until Jan. 20. Owners will have to mark aircraft with an identifi- cation number. Recre- ational fliers can register as many aircraft as they want on one registration number. Most people who fly drones and model aircraft have little aviation experi- ence, but they become pi- lots as soon as they start to fly, said Deputy FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker. "They have the responsibility to fly safely, and there are rules and regulations that apply to them," he said. Those who got drones before Dec. 21 must regis- ter by Feb. 19. People who buy them later must reg- ister before their first out- door flight. Owners will have to pro- vide their name, home ad- dress and email, and their identity will be verified and payments made by credit card, the agency said. The FAA said it used some of the recommenda- tions from a task force ap- pointed by Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, but the move disappointed a large group representing model airplane users. The Muncie, Indiana- based Academy of Model Aeronautics said registra- tion is an "unnecessary burden for our more than 185,000 members who have been operating safely for decades." FA A to r eq ui re m os t drones to be registered POPULAR WITH HOBBYISTS REDBLUFFOUTDOORPOWER 490AntelopeBlvd.527.5741 ORLAND SAW & MOWER 235 E. 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