Washington (CNN) -- With approval in hand to arm and train Syrian rebels to fight the ISIS terror group, President Barack Obama said Thursday the plan keeps with "the key principle" of U.S. strategy: No American combat troops on the ground. "The American troops deployed to Iraq do not and will not have a combat mission," he said in televised remarks from the White House. "Their mission is to advise and assist our partners on the ground. ...We can destroy ISIL without having our troops fight another ground war in the Middle East." Obama said more than 40 countries, including Arab nations, have offered assistance in the battle against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, which calls itself the Islamic State.
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NEW: French President says France has carried out its first airstrikes against ISIS
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President Barack Obama says more than 40 countries have offered assistance
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The U.S. military has approved a plan to strike ISIS in Syria, officials said
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ISIS captured 16 villages in northern Syria in the past day, opposition group says
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"But today they are learning the same hard lesson of petty tyrants and terrorists who have gone before, as @placeholder we do not give into fear.
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The list is expected to be shown to @placeholder one more time, U.S. military officials said.
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As part of that coalition, France will join the air campaign in @placeholder, he said.
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Hollande said Thursday that there had been @placeholder reconnaissance flights over Iraq this week.