US Congress may vote next week on Obama attack plan

US lawmakers may wait until next week or beyond to vote on training and equipping Syrian rebels in order to debate President Barack Obama's strategy to defeat militant extremists in Iraq and Syria.

Several House Republicans emerged from a caucus meeting Thursday to say a quick vote on authorization to empower vetted, moderate Syrian rebels was looking less likely.

"We may end up being here an extra week," congresswoman Marsha Blackburn told reporters. "It's important to address this and it's important to get it right."

Lawmakers are set to depart Washington next Thursday and hit the campaign trail until the mid-term congressional elections on November 4.

That leaves precious few days to work through Obama's strategy, which includes expanding US air strikes into Syria against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group and training rebels such as the Free Syrian Army.

House Speaker John Boehner said he personally backed Obama's plan, but that caucus members were worried that the broader Obama strategy was insufficient.

"If our goal is to eliminate ISIL, there's a lot of doubt whether the plan that was outlined by the president last night is enough to accomplish that mission," Boehner told reporters.

"We'll make a decision sometime next week on how we will proceed."

After Boehner spoke, House leadership advised lawmakers that the chamber may consider legislation related to Obama's strategy "as early as Tuesday."

The Pentagon has been waging an air campaign against jihadist positions in Iraq, and the White House and top lawmakers generally agree Obama has the authority to conduct such attacks in Syria.

But he wants swift congressional authorization for building up moderate forces inside Syria who could help defeat IS.

Congressman Reid Ribble expressed a willingness to authorize the president to aid the rebels, saying "I'm more toward that than being opposed to it."

But lawmakers -- who received classified briefings Thursday by administration officials -- were eager to engage in debate.

"We're at the front end of this... and so there is a lot of information coming at us that still needs to be worked through."

Congressman Peter King warned against dithering too long, and said Americans should brace for "a war that could go on for another 10 or 15 years."

"It's important to at least resolve the troop vetting and training now, and then I believe after the election we should have a full debate" on use of force, King told reporters.

One question is how Congress would proceed with authorization. The White House and Democrats want an amendment tacked onto a temporary federal spending bill that needs to pass before fiscal year 2015 begins October 1.

But many Republicans want a separate bill -- and separate debate -- for the military authorization.

Some conservatives bluntly stated Obama's strategy of air strikes and rebel assistance falls well short of what is needed to defeat IS.

"In the long run, I don't think it will eradicate them," Representative Trent Franks told AFP. (AFP)