Obama asks congress for $5bn to bolster counter-terror effort

President Obama has proposed setting up a $5billion fund to expand the Pentagon’s counter-terrorism efforts, as he flagged more US support for moderate Syrian rebels.

He made the announcement in a speech at West Point military academy in New York, identifying terrorism as the biggest national security threat to the country.

President Obama will be asking US Congress to back the fund so that the US can equip and train allies on the front lines.

“For the foreseeable future, the most direct threat to America at home and abroad remains terrorism. But a strategy that involves invading every country that harbours terrorist networks is naive and unsustainable,” Obama said.

“I believe we must shift our counter‑terrorism strategy – drawing on the successes and shortcomings of our experience in Iraq and Afghanistan – to more effectively partner with countries where terrorist networks seek a foothold.”

A White House fact circular said the fund would be used for three tasks: expanding the training and equipping of foreign militaries, bolstering the counterterrorism capabilities of allies, and supporting efforts to counter violent extremism and terrorism ideology.