A key national security adviser to President Barack Obama said he believes the United States will `` absolutely '' secure an international coalition to defeat the rapidly growing terrorist group operating in Iraq and Syria known as ISIS . `` I absolutely do believe that there will be a coalition of countries from the international community , from here in NATO , also from the region where many of the neighbors have stepped up and said they want to be a part of that type of effort , '' Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said in an interview Thursday with CNN outside the NATO summit in Wales . `` A lot of these European countries are concerned about the foreign fighters that have gone down to Iraq and Syria who have European passports . So they are very concerned that this threat in Iraq and Syria could end up posing a threat here in Europe , '' Rhodes said . How ISIS flaunts its brutality as propaganda . The President has yet to make a decision to conduct airstrikes in Syria , White House officials cautioned . It is also unclear how an anti-ISIS coalition would take shape . Rhodes suggested participating countries would likely serve in different roles , depending on their capabilities and appetite for a more direct military involvement in the mission . `` Intelligence . Law enforcement . Lots of ways for nations to step up to the plate and be a part of this coalition , '' Rhodes said . NATO leaders tackle packed agenda including ISIS , Ukraine , Afghanistan . In a sense , there is already a coalition assisting the United States in its current limited mission against ISIS in Iraq . British , French and Australian forces have participated in airdrops of humanitarian supplies to Iraqis and Kurds under assault from ISIS militants . Obama created some confusion about his strategy at a news conference in Estonia earlier this week when he said his goal was to both `` degrade and destroy '' ISIS and reduce the group 's threat `` to the point where it is a manageable problem . '' Why is ISIS so brutal ? Rhodes argued there was no inconsistency in the president 's remarks , insisting the mission to defeat ISIS is a multi-step process . `` What the president was saying is this is a phased effort and the first phase is going to have to be pushing back ISIL , getting them out of those strongholds , putting in place the coalition that can then work methodically to destroy the organization , '' Rhodes said . On a conference call with reporters Thursday , Rhodes indicated any decision to conduct airstrikes would occur after Secretary of State John Kerry , Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and a White House counterterrorism adviser travel to the Middle East to gauge support in the region for an anti-ISIS coalition . Inside the mind of an ISIS fighter . But Rhodes told CNN it would be difficult to ultimately destroy ISIS without dealing with the organization in Syria , where it currently enjoys a safe haven . `` You have to deal with the challenges on both sides of the ( Iraqi-Syrian ) border , '' Rhodes said .
A key national security adviser says the U.S. would ` ` absolutely '' support an international coalition to fight ISIS . Russia has yet to make a decision to conduct strikes in Syria , citing caution . British , French and Australian forces have already participated in air strikes .