US senator calls for declaration of war against Islamic State

WASHINGTON - US Senator Rand Paul, a possible Republican candidate for president in 2016, is calling for a formal declaration of war against Islamic State militants who control parts of Iraq and Syria, the New York Times reported on Monday.

In an interview on Saturday, Paul said his proposal would limit the duration of military action to one year and significantly restrict the use of ground forces, the Times said.

His proposal differs from others circulating in Washington in that he wants to formally declare war against Islamic State, which Congress has not done since World War Two, the newspaper said.