U.S. President Barack Obama will lay out a broader offensive strategy this week to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) in the Middle East. He will meet with congressional leaders on Tuesday and will address the American people on Wednesday, on the eve of the 13^th 9/11 attack anniversary.

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In what is set to be a big departure from previous U.S.-led military campaigns against ISIS, Obama assures the American public that his offensive plan against ISIS is not equivalent to the Iraq war, but it will be like no other.

Still, senior Whitehouse and Pentagon officials envision an anti-ISIS campaign that may drag on long after the president leaves office.

During an NBC interview aired on Sunday, the president remarked that it is about time for the United States to start an offensive against the extremist ISIS fighters who he and many congressional leaders believe have become an increasingly menacing threat to U.S.

"We are going to systematically degrade their capabilities; we're going to shrink the territory that they control; and, ultimately, we're going to defeat them," he told NBC, echoing the speech he made following the formation of the anti-ISIS coalition at the NATO Summit.

President Obama emphasized the need for the American people to understand the gravity that the jihadist group threat poses, saying that he is enabling the country to deal with the ISIS terrorism.

He has also confirmed that the U.S. is capable of defeating and degrading the Islamic State fighters as he repeatedly promised over the past week.

As clearly outlined in his speech at the NATO Summit in Wales last September 5, the newly formed anti-ISIS coalition consisting of 10 NATO member countries will work with regional partners like the Iraqi military forces and the Syrian rebel troops to defeat the Islamic State group fighters.

As the Obama administration seeks to fortify the anti-ISIS coalition, the U.S. military continues to expand its scope of air campaign in Iraq. The latest in the series of attacks is the air strike on the Haditha dam in western Iraq which has been under frequent attack by the jihadist group.

The Arab League who has confirmed strong support for the coalition has given the Obama administration a nod of approval on Sunday for its recent air campaign against the extremist group.

Secretary of State John Kerry along with Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Security adviser Lisa Monaco travels to the region this week to enlist the support for the coalition from the Gulf Leaders.

President Obama noted that his administration, with the support of its moderate Arab allies, must halt the extremist group's momentum in attracting support from young people in the region.

Despite the timing of the president's Wednesday speech, Obama confirmed that there is presently no intelligence that indicates an ISIS threat against the United States, according to NBC.

TagsPresident Barack Obama, anti-ISIS coalition, anti-ISIS agenda, anti-ISIS offensive, Islamic State group, U.S.-led military campaigns