WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama expects his expanded military mission against the Islamic State militants to achieve at least three short-term objectives: reverse the extremist group’s momentum in Iraq, squeeze their sanctuary in Syria and erode their recruiting appeal across the greater Mideast.

Progress toward his longer-term goal of destroying the extremist group will hinge on a set of more difficult moves, including effective U.S. coordination with Iraqi and Kurdish ground forces and undercutting financial and ideological support for the Islamic State group.