A look at Obama’s strategy for defeating the Islamic State

President Barack Obama hosted a meeting with congressional leaders at the Oval Office on Tuesday. The meeting was one of many this week as he prepared to address the nation about his plan to defeat the Islamic State.

Obama said he believes he has executive authority to expand a month-old air campaign against the Sunni militants into Syria, where the group is strongest, but also said he would be grateful for congressional support. Some members of Congress, however, are pushing back.

"The president has now declared that defeating ISIL [an acronym for another name for the group] is his objective, and that is a very good start, but Americans don't want a lecture," said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Wednesday. "They want a plan, a credible, comprehensive plan."

On Wednesday, Senate Democratic leaders started working on a bill that would let the U.S. train foreign troops fighting the Islamic State on the ground, as Obama began looking to build a coalition in the region that could include Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Turkey.

Secretary of State John Kerry was in Iraq on Wednesday, talking about regional cooperation. He will be seeking Saudi support on Thursday. There is a reluctance among the kingdom's Sunni ruling family to get involved in a campaign targeting Sunni militants.

That reluctance is not shared by most Americans, though, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll. An overwhelming percentage of Americans surveyed now see the militants as a serious threat — especially after the graphic beheadings of two American journalists in the past few weeks — and are in favor of taking action. 

Can the president convince a war-weary nation that an expanded military intervention in Iraq — and now Syria — is necessary?

How can he build a coalition in the region, where so many countries are hesitant to get involved?

On this edition of "Inside Story," we asked an on-air guest panel of experts these questions and more.