UNITED NATIONS: Former US defence secretary Robert Gates severely criticised President Barack Obama’s strategy to “degrade and destroy” the Islamic State (also known as ISIS and ISIL) without sending in ground troops.

“The reality is they’re not going be able to be successful against ISIS strictly from the air, or strictly depending on the Iraqi forces, or the peshmerga, or the Sunni tribes acting on their own,” Gates said on “CBS This Morning” on Wednesday. “So there will be boots on the ground if there’s to be any hope of success in the strategy. And I think that by continuing to repeat that [he won’t send in ground troops], Obama in effect traps himself.”

Gates, who was former president George Bush’s defence Secretary, chastised President Obama over his stance towards Syria and Iraq wanting direct US involvement in the region.

Gates is not alone in his criticism of the president. According to a new CBS News/New York Times

poll released on Wednesday, 57 per cent of Americans don’t think Obama is being tough enough in dealing with the IS, while 31 per cent think his approach is about right.

The poll also found Obama’s approval rating when it comes to terrorism is at a record low: 41 per cent approve of his handling of the threat of terror — down 12 percentage points since March. Compare that to May 2011, after the killing of Osama bin Laden, when 72 percent approved.

Published in Dawn, September 18th , 2014