UK Prime Minister David Cameron worries ISIS will soon pose a direct threat to Britain if swift action is not taken.
ISIS, which now goes by the name the Islamic State, has seized much of northern Iraq and Syria. International observers report mass executions of non-Muslims by the militants. (Video Via All Eyes On Syria)
Cameron wrote in TheTelegraph Sunday, "If we do not act to stem the onslaught of this exceptionally dangerous terrorist movement, it will only grow stronger until it can target us on the streets of Britain."
ISIS members have been connected to at least one attack on British soil already — a 2007 car bombing at the Glasgow Airport.
So, what kind of action is Cameron urging? In his op-ed, the PM says airstrikes alone will not stop ISIS but also says sending in combat troops isn't the answer. Instead, he backs the middle-of-the-road approach.
Cameron listed arming Kurdish forces, dealing strictly with British citizens who are terror suspects, supporting democracy in the Middle East and encouraging a more inclusive government in Iraq as part of a long term plan to defeat ISIS.
And ITV corespondent Emily Morgan said, "It is also the clearest argument detailing of U.K.'s approach to Iraq and terrorism. He uses phrases like barbaric, a battle against poisonous idealism."
This statement came just after the Church of England criticized the government for not doing enough to combat Islamic extremism.
Before his statement Sunday, Cameron took heavy criticism for his hands-off approach to ISIS thus far. The Guardian reports the church described Cameron's Middle East policy as "incoherent" and "ill-thought-out" this week.
To take real action against ISIS, Cameron will need the support of the British parliament, which as of late has been hesitant to jump into any new conflicts. Last year, parliament defied both Cameron and President Barack Obama by voting against intervention in Syria.
