President Barack Obama says putting large numbers of U.S. troops on the ground to combat the threat from the Islamic State would be "a mistake."
He says that's not just his view, but the view of some of his closest military and civilian advisers.
“Given the fact that there are enormous sacrifices involved in any military action it’s best that we don’t shoot first and aim later,” Obama said. “It’s important for us to get the strategy right.”
Obama spoke Monday at a news conference in Antalya, Turkey, at the close of a summit of 20 nations. The talks have been overshadowed by Friday's attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people.
The president says the fight against the Islamic State terrorist threat requires participation of the people in Iraq and Syria to push back against ideological extremes.
San Diego is home to more than one third of the U.S. Marine Corps combat troops.
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