Kerry drums up Arab support in fight against Islamic State
The United States enlisted the help of 10 Arab countries in its fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) after foreign ministers met Thursday in Saudi Arabia with Secretary of State John Kerry.
The said members discussed 鈥渁 strategy to destroy ISIL [another acronym used for IS] wherever it is, including in both Iraq and Syria.鈥� The states in attendance said they would take steps to stop the flow of foreign fighters and financing to IS, provide humanitarian aid, and, 鈥渁s appropriate,鈥� join the US military campaign.
Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates all offered their support. Turkey did not sign the communiqu茅 and Mr. Kerry is scheduled to travel there today. Forty-nine Turkish citizens, including diplomats, are currently being held hostage by IS, complicating the country鈥檚 decision.
Iran and Syria were both excluded from the talks, highlighting .
He [President Barack Obama] must try to confront the group without aiding Syria鈥檚 president, Bashar al-Assad, or appearing to side with Mr. Assad鈥檚 Shiite allies, Iran and the militant group Hezbollah, against discontented Sunnis across the Arab world.
The New York Times reported that the US is receiving as it returns to .
The Obama administration is eager to have the campaign against ISIS be seen as a broad international effort that includes prominent Sunni states, rather than as a clash of civilizations that pits the United States against radical Islam.
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鈥淗e鈥檚 [Kerry] also going to ask them to use their nationally owned media,鈥� said a senior State Department official who previewed Mr. Kerry鈥檚 strategy. Two Middle Eastern news channels, Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya, were mentioned specifically, the official said, adding that Mr. Kerry would also ask the Arab states to 鈥渆ncourage their religious establishments to speak out against extremism.鈥�
Reuters reported that Kerry has also asked for permission from Arab states . The US has already carried out more than against IS in Iraq.
A Syrian minister told NBC News that his government was ready to talk with the US and had 鈥渘o reservations鈥� about as long as they were coordinated with the Syrian government.
Another former Syrian diplomat told the Guardian that Syria would still view the airstrikes as , but would most likely look the other way.
鈥淎s long as airstrikes only hit Isis, they will be condemned as a violation of international law but won't be dealt with as aggression that requires retaliation.鈥�
As the Monitor reported, arming the Syrian opposition is fraught with difficulties, and has raised many questions about the ultimate outcomes and alliances in the region.
If the US military destroys IS in Syria, for example, that is sure to strengthen the standing of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his brutal regime. What then?聽
And if IS is pushed out of Iraq, will the Sunnis turn their ire against the Shiite-led government there?
