Global push against Islamic State grows

by Yoni Hirsch, Eli Leon, The Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff

Diplomats from around world gather in Paris seeking coherent strategy against the Islamic State • Poll shows that most Americans have "just some" to "very little" confidence that Obama can actually achieve his objective of defeating the Islamic State.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Saturday | Photo credit: AP

Newly outraged by the beheading of yet another Western hostage, diplomats from around the world are in Paris pressing for a coherent global strategy to combat extremists from the Islamic State group -- minus two of the main players and without any ground troops -- in a conflict that threatens to spill beyond the Middle East.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has been pressuring allies ahead of a conference Monday to show a united front, especially from majority-Muslim nations, saying that nearly 40 countries agreed to contribute to a worldwide fight to defeat the militants before they gain more territory in Iraq and Syria.

The White House said Sunday it would find allies willing to send combat forces -- something the United States has ruled out -- but that it was too early to identify them. The U.S. has so far been alone in carrying out airstrikes.

Several Arab countries offered to conduct airstrikes against the Islamic State group, according to a State Department official traveling with Kerry who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic developments during his trip.

A second official gave some examples of what the U.S. would consider a military contribution: providing arms, any kind of training activity and airstrikes.

Muslim-majority countries are considered vital to any operation, although there have only been vague offers of help previously. Iran was struck off the invitation list, and Western officials have made clear they consider Syria's government part of the problem.

"Ultimately, this is a fight within Islam, within Sunni Islam," White House chief of staff Denis McDonough told Fox News on Sunday.

"That's why we know that ultimately to defeat and ultimately destroy ISIL [Islamic State], something that is not only in our interest but in the interest of the countries in the region, they are going to need to take the fight to it," he said.

"We'll build, we'll lead, we'll undergird, and we'll strengthen that coalition. But ultimately, they're going to help us beat them on the ground." 

But the Paris conference, officially dedicated to peace and stability in Iraq, avoids mention of Syria, the power base of the militant organization gaining territory in both countries by the week. And the U.S. opposed France's attempt to invite Iran, which shares a 1,400-kilometer (870-mile) border with Iraq. The gathering itself will be brief, a matter of a few hours between its start and a planned joint statement.

In an exclusive interview on Sunday with The Associated Press in Paris, Iraq's President Fouad Massoum -- a Kurd, whose role in the government is largely ceremonial -- expressed regret that Iran was not attending the conference.

Massoum noted "sensitivities between some countries and Iran."

He also seemed not to welcome the possible participation Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in airstrikes in Iraqi territory.

"It is not necessary that they participate in air strikes; what is important is that they participate in the decisions of this conference," he said, underscoring Baghdad's closeness to Iran and how tensions among the regional powers could complicate the process of forming a Sunni alliance.

Speaking in his first interview since becoming Iraqi prime minister, Haider al-Abadi told state-run Al Iraqiya in comments aired Sunday that he had given approvals to France to use Iraqi airspace and said all such authorizations would have to come from Baghdad.

U.S. President Barack Obama selected retired Marine Maj. Gen. John Allen to lead the efforts against the Islamic State. Allen had previously served as commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, and has experience coordinating multinational forces in the Middle East. After retiring in 2013, Allen had worked as an adviser to U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and was appointed a delegate by the administration to draft a security plan for Israel's eastern border had an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal gone through.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted by The Wall Street Journal and NBC shows that 68 percent of Americans have between "just some" to "very little" confidence in Obama's ability to achieve his stated goal of degrading and eliminating the Islamic State. Despite being seemingly skeptical, a majority (62 percent) still support the operation and 68 percent believe it is in the U.S.'s interest.

Yoni Hirsch, Eli Leon, The Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=20105

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