海角大神

海角大神 / Text

Kerry drums up Arab support in fight against Islamic State

The US Secretary of State received promises of help in Obama's new war against the Islamic State group yesterday from 10 Arab states. 

By Lydia Tomkiw, Staff writer

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 communiqu茅 issued 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 complicated US relations in the region.

The New York Times reported that the US is receiving 鈥渢epid support鈥 as it returns to military action in the region.

Reuters reported that Kerry has also asked for permission from Arab states to use their military bases. The US has already carried out more than聽150 airstrikes 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 airstrikes against IS 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 a violation of international law, 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.