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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration isn't ready to join lawmakers in accusing the Islamic State group of genocide against Christians and other religious minorities.
The House voted 393-0 Monday for a resolution charging Islamic State militants with genocide, and Congress has given the administration until this Thursday to decide if the historically weighted term applies.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest says State Department lawyers continue to weigh the "legal implications" of such a declaration.
Although the U.S. is already involved in military strikes against the Islamic State group, some argue that a genocide determination could require additional U.S. action.
Earnest says it's clear that Christians and Yazidis have been targeted in both Iraq and Syria, and the U.S. will "continue to take steps to try to protect them, even as the legal work about a genocide designation continues."
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304-a-08-(Josh Earnest, White House spokesman, at briefing)-"significant legal implications"-White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the State Department is considering whether the term genocide should be applied to the Islamic State group's persecution of religious minorities. (15 Mar 2016)
<<CUT *304 (03/15/16)££ 00:08 "significant legal implications"
306-a-13-(Josh Earnest, White House spokesman, at briefing)-"those religious minorities"-White House spokesman Josh Earnest says it's clear that Islamic State militants are committing atrocities against religious minorities. (15 Mar 2016)
<<CUT *306 (03/15/16)££ 00:13 "those religious minorities"
303-a-10-(Josh Earnest, White House spokesman, at briefing)-"the term genocide"-White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the Obama administration hasn't determined whether the Islamic State group's persecution of religious minorities is genocide. (15 Mar 2016)
<<CUT *303 (03/15/16)££ 00:10 "the term genocide"
307-a-13-(Josh Earnest, White House spokesman, at briefing)-"genocide designation continues"-White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the Obama administration is trying to stop the Islamic State group's atrocities. (15 Mar 2016)
<<CUT *307 (03/15/16)££ 00:13 "genocide designation continues"
305-a-17-(Josh Earnest, White House spokesman, at briefing)-"protect religious minorities"-White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the Obama administration is trying to stop the Islamic State group from killing Christians and Yazidis. ((note length of cut)) (15 Mar 2016)
<<CUT *305 (03/15/16)££ 00:17 "protect religious minorities"
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