Obama asks Congress to authorise U.S. war on Islamic State

By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday sent Congress his long-awaited formal request to authorise military force against Islamic State, meeting swift resistance from Republicans as well as his fellow Democrats wary of another war in the Middle East. Republicans, who control Congress and say Obama's foreign policy is too passive, want stronger measures against the militants than outlined in the plan, which bars any large-scale invasion by U.S. gr