WASHINGTON (AP):

The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday voted to authorise President Barack Obama's war against the Islamic State group, the first vote in Congress to explicitly grant him war powers in the US battle against the militant extremists.

The vote was 10-8, with most Democrats in favour and Republicans opposed.

The committee chairman, Senator Robert Menendez, said he would seek a full Senate vote on the measure before the current Congress ends, but it's more likely that the authorisation will be delayed until the next, Republican-led Congress, which starts January 1.

In the US battle against IS, Obama has been relying on congressional authorisations that former President George W. Bush used to justify military action after 9/11. Critics say the White House's use of post-9/11 congressional authorisations is a legal stretch, at best. Obama has insisted that he had the legal authority to send about 3,000 US troops to train and assist Iraqi security forces, and launch 1,100 airstrikes against targets in Iraq and Syria since September. More recently, the president has said that he wants a new authorisation for use of military force.

On Tuesday, Secretary of State John Kerry said whatever new authorisation Congress passes should not limit US military action to Iraq and Syria or prevent the president from deploying ground troops if he later deems them necessary. He also said that if the new authorisation had a time limit, there should be a provision for it to be renewed.

use military force

Menendez's resolution, which was passed, would authorise the president to use military force against IS and associated persons or forces, fighting for or on behalf of IS. It would limit the activities of US forces so that there would be no large-scale ground combat operations. Menendez has said that if the president feels he needs that, then he should ask Congress for authorisation to do that.

The authorisation would be limited to three years and would require the administration to report on the fight against IS every 60 days. He said a three-year time limit would allow Obama and the next president time to assess the situation and make decisions about whether and how to continue military action against IS.