President Obama announced Friday he would not send troops to Iraq but has asked his "national security team to prepare a range of other options" to counter the growing threat posed by radical Islamist insurgents who have seized territory in northern Iraq and are threatening the capital.

Speaking just before leaving for North Dakota, Obama told reporters that Iraqi leaders would have to reach a political solution to the sectarian divide in their country by making compromises with their opponents.

“We can’t do it for them,” said the president, repeating the same phrase a few minutes later.