Obama admits US misjudged IS threat

President Barack Obama acknowledged that US intelligence agencies underestimated the threat from Islamic State militants and overestimated the ability and will of Iraq’s army to fight.

Questioning Obama’s strategy to destroy the group, House Speaker John Boehner said the US may have “no choice” but to send in American troops if the mix of US-led airstrikes and a ground campaign reliant on Iraqi forces, Kurdish fighters and soon-to-be trained Syrian rebels, fails to achieve that goal.

Boehner, in an interview broadcast yesterday, said he believes Congress should consider a resolution authorising the use of force for this specific mission.