Obama now admits Assad MUST go before ISIS can be defeated

• White House developed a strategy to attack ISIS on the ground in Iraq
• Announced a $500 million plan four months ago to train a rebel force that could go after the group
• Plan was largely criticized as being unrealistic 
• CNN now quoting senior government sources saying Obama has been forced to turnaround his plan
• National security team believe removing Syrian President Bashar al Assad will kick-start the defeat of ISIS

Last month he said that an 'Iraq first' attack was the best means to combat ISIS, but Obama has reportedly developed a new strategy to defeat the al Qaeda splinter group - starting with the removal of Syrian President Bashar al Assad.

Senior White House officials have told CNN that the national security team has met four times, including one meeting chaired by Obama, to orchestrate the new strategy.

The U.S. and many of its allies see President Assad as the reason ISIS have been able to gain strength in Syria.

Obama's initial approach was to fight ISIS on the ground in Iraq while the government put together their own rebel force that could go after the group.

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Turnaround: Obama has reportedly been forced to overhaul his strategy on how to deal with ISIS following much criticism, changing from fighting them on the ground in Iraq to removing Syrian President Bashar al Assad (left)

However the White House has subsequently run out of time, CNN reported.

'The long running Syria problem is now compounded by the reality that to genuinely defeat (ISIS), we need not only a defeat in Iraq but a defeat in Syria,' the senior sources told CNN.

'Developments on the ground have caused the national security team to collectively conclude we may not have time for Iraq first.

'In an ideal world you would drive (ISIS) out of Iraq and pivot to Syria.