White House says Obama wants Congress to invest in counter-terrorism fund

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama wants Congress to inject money into a counter-terrorism fund to train and equip partners in other countries to fight extremists, an initiative that would be a core component of his plan to address Islamic State fighters, the White House said on Monday. Obama believes he currently has the authority he needs to address the threat Islamic State poses to American citizens, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. But if Obama decided to expand the scope of military operations in Iraq and Syria, he would make a determination at that point on whether he would need additional congressional authorization, Earnest said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Sandra Maler)