Obama vows to destroy IS, deploys more troops to Iraq

President Barack Obama has vowed that killers of Steven Sotloff, the US journalist who was beheaded on Tuesday, will be brought to book, noting that though it would take a long time to put a stop to the excesses of the Islamic State (IS) and other groups perpetrating acts of terrorism, the United States would not give up.

IS released a video footage on Tuesday of the beheading of Stoloff, the second American Journalist to be so executed in two weeks.

Hours after the video went into circulation, the White House announced that Obama had authorised about 350 more US troops to beef up security at US diplomatic facilities and protect personnel in Baghdad, capital of Iraq.

On August 19, IS, which is protesting US launching of airstrikes against it in Iraq, killed James Foley, also a US reporter.

In Tuesday’s video, a masked militant was shown saying that the group would continue to harm US citizens if US does not put an end to the attack.

“I’m back, Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State,” said the militant in British accent.

“So just as your missiles continue to strike the necks of our people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people.”

He went further to state that a British hostage identified as Briton David Cawthorne Haines was next in line of target, and warned the British authorities that supporting America is at its own risk.

“We take this opportunity to warn those governments that enter this evil alliance of America against the Islamic State to back off and leave our people alone,” he said.

But Obama has dismissed the threat, stating that the US will not be intimidated.

“Our objective is clear. That is to degrade and destroy (ISIS) so it’s no longer a threat,” he said at a press conference.

“The whole world had been repulsed by the barbarism of Sotloff’s murder but we will not be intimidated.

“We’ve been putting together a strategy that was designed to do a number of things. … What we have to make sure is we have a regional strategy in place.

“Those who make the mistake of harming Americans will learn that we will not forget and that our reach is long and that justice will be served.”