Boehner: U.S. may need ground troops vs. militants

WASHINGTON — House Speaker John Boehner says the United States may have “no choice” but to send American troops to fight Islamic State group militants if President Barack Obama’s strategy fails to destroy the extremist group.

Boehner tells ABC’s “This Week” that he doesn’t believe Obama’s approach will accomplish that.

He says it will take more than airstrikes to destroy the Islamic State group, and he criticizes Obama for saying he won’t send in American ground troops.

Obama wants to rely on Iraqi forces, Kurdish fighters and soon-to-be trained Syrian rebels for the ground campaign.

Boehner was asked whether he’d recommend sending in Americans if no one else was able to step up.

He said “we have no choice” because “if we don’t destroy them first, we’re gonna pay the price.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS