White House asks allies to step up in IS campaign

[webfact]

White House asks allies to step up in IS campaign
KATHLEEN HENNESSEY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House urged allies on Monday to do more in the campaign against the Islamic State, while President Barack Obama faced pressure in return to show the U.S.-led coalition will intensify efforts in response to the Paris attacks, even without a major shift in strategy.

Requests for more counterintelligence, military and humanitarian assistance came a day before French President Francois Hollande was to arrive at the White House to discuss the fight against the extremists believed to be behind the Nov. 13 attacks that killed 130 people. Hollande, who next visits Russian President Vladimir Putin, is expected to seek more coordinated military operations that would include both the U.S. and Moscow.

Obama has shown no inclination to rethink the U.S. strategy or significantly expand America's commitment, despite pressure from Hollande, Republican critics and some members of his own Democratic Party. However, Secretary of State John Kerry said in Abu Dhabi that both he and the president would like to see progress against the Islamic State "go faster."

At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest said the U.S. may step up efforts supporting strategies believed to be working — airstrikes and train-and-assist missions in Syria and Iraq — but he played down the possibility of any surge of new American resources into the fight.

The U.S. is "pulling more than our weight" in the coalition, Earnest said. "And we believe that there is more that can be done if countries are willing to contribute additional resources."

Vice President Joe Biden sought those resources from allies at a meeting with ambassadors from 59 of the 65 countries in the coalition. The discussion focused on what more the countries could do to cut off financing for the Islamic State's global network and how to stem the flow of fighters crossing into Syria and Iraq to join the group, the State Department said.

Separately, the U.S. military said it had destroyed 283 tanker trucks used by IS militants to transport oil from producing fields in eastern Syria to smuggling points, an acceleration of attacks aimed at crippling the group's oil revenues. The attack by four A-10 attack planes and two AC-130 gunships was carried out Saturday at a site near Deir el-Zour and al-Hasakah but not made public until Monday.

After meeting with Obama, Hollande is headed to Moscow to meet with Putin, who has also expressed his intention to ramp up a campaign against the Islamic State.

The White House has not ruled out greater cooperation with Russia, but has expressed skepticism that Putin will focus the fight on the common enemy rather than use its airstrikes to undermine the moderate forces fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad. Earnest said Monday the U.S. would "continue the conversation" with Putin but suggested Obama would make no promises to Hollande during Tuesday's visit.

Rather, the meeting would be focused on the U.S. showing support, he said.

"This is a time when the French people are grieving and knowing that they can count on the most powerful country in the world to have their back," Earnest said. "I think it will be a source of significant comfort to the French people."

Kerry, meanwhile, suggested the U.S. was exploring some new ideas. Between meetings with Arab officials in Abu Dhabi, the chief American diplomat told reporters Obama was asking everyone in the U.S. government for new concepts to speed up the fight.

Some steps were in motion before the Paris attack, he said, such as a decision to deploy a small number of U.S. special forces to Syria and the continuing efforts toward a cease-fire between Syria's government and rebel groups.
___

Associated Press Writer Bradley Klapper contributed from Abu Dhabi and National Security Writer Robert Burns from Washington.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-11-24

[ggt]

This title made me laugh...the irony of the White House...who has tried to play down the significance of the IS terrorist systematic destruction of people and property in the ME...wants the allies to step up their pressure on IS?

Mr. President...the jig is up...you have been exposed...you are without excuse...you can not talk your way out of your bad judgement on IS...your so called foreign policy has been a miserable failure...and everyone in the world recognizes this but you...get a grip...

[FangFerang]

This title made me laugh...the irony of the White House...who has tried to play down the significance of the IS terrorist systematic destruction of people and property in the ME...wants the allies to step up their pressure on IS?

Mr. President...the jig is up...you have been exposed...you are without excuse...you can not talk your way out of your bad judgement on IS...your so called foreign policy has been a miserable failure...and everyone in the world recognizes this but you...get a grip...

Well, you have been reading the news that is not based on fact or a shred of veracity. ISIL was the Frankenstein birth child of the unwarranted and illegal Iraq war that was based on false evidnce, misinformation and outright lies from Bush the Butcher.

Most Europeans despise Bush and Cheney and Blair -- and they like Obama. Most Asians prefer him to Bush 2:1. Canadians prefer him 3:1.

The congressional republicans who are hawks because their states have weapons plants are simply laughable. Four months ago, Republicans demanded the rest of the world pitch in, and now they criticize Obama for agreeing with them now.

they cannot make up their schizophrenic minds because they are not sane. Nor well read or well-informed.

[chilli42]

Agree, America had a direct hand in the creation of al Qaeda and ISIS. What is done, can't be undone. Americas priority is the preservation of capitalism. Blame them if you like but it changes nothing. I will say it again, nobody has put a specific plan on the table on how they or a coalition will end ISIS and the Caliphate ... this includes France, US and Russia. This does not mean that each country does not have a plan it's that they are not about to share it with the likes of us. Direct military action by the Western powers will be an umitigated disaster ... perhaps this is why the US and Russia are mute on this subject. There are far better ways to win the war all of which require Turkiye, Iran and the Gulf allies to be on board ... presumably the Kurds will be agog for anything that involves killing Arabs. I can understand France, they don't have the military power/resources to fight their way out of a paper bag but the the government needs to be seen to be doing something aggressive. After all, if the major powers say no then the French government can say they tried, if they get a yes they will take the credit and let the Americans and Russians do their own body count. What ever action is ultimately taken, the West is looking at a 20-30 conflict with the possibility that it never ends.

[Steely Dan]

The foreign policy vacuum covering the White House has allowed jihad to spread like a forest fire. Now Obama attempts to lead from behind asking everyone else to step up to the plate. Others are doing so now having drawn their own conclusions about Obama. I await pious and sanctimonious condemnations from the White House when any bomb or missile aimed at ISIS goes astray.

[Credo]

The foreign policy vacuum covering the White House has allowed jihad to spread like a forest fire. Now Obama attempts to lead from behind asking everyone else to step up to the plate. Others are doing so now having drawn their own conclusions about Obama. I await pious and sanctimonious condemnations from the White House when any bomb or missile aimed at ISIS goes astray.

Surely you jest?

The go-slow policy has always been predicated on the immense pressure and concern for civilian casualties. It is a political move. The US knows well that collateral damage is unavoidable.

When it comes to sanctimonious condemnation, I think there are some other countries and groups that have the expertise in that area.

[NeilSA1]

...and I am sure that it is a source of significant comfort to the French people to know that the US "have their back," albeit there is "no inclination to rethink the U.S. strategy or significantly expand America's commitment' against the IS.
​

[Steely Dan]

The foreign policy vacuum covering the White House has allowed jihad to spread like a forest fire. Now Obama attempts to lead from behind asking everyone else to step up to the plate. Others are doing so now having drawn their own conclusions about Obama. I await pious and sanctimonious condemnations from the White House when any bomb or missile aimed at ISIS goes astray.

Surely you jest?

The go-slow policy has always been predicated on the immense pressure and concern for civilian casualties. It is a political move. The US knows well that collateral damage is unavoidable.

When it comes to sanctimonious condemnation, I think there are some other countries and groups that have the expertise in that area.

Just to clarify, I have in the past been the first to defend the U.S when there are unfortunate civilian casualties, but things have changed completely in six years. I read that 75% of U.S sorties in Iraq and Syria now abort the mission before attacking the target. Restrictive rules of engagement have indeed lead to a large majority of US forces casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq coming during Obama administrations. As for ISIS, well there is a current investigation as to whether or not a deliberately misleading over optimistic assessment was made concerning the fight against them.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/11/23/analysts-accuse-centcom-of-covering-up-cooked-isis-intelligence.html

[ggt]

This title made me laugh...the irony of the White House...who has tried to play down the significance of the IS terrorist systematic destruction of people and property in the ME...wants the allies to step up their pressure on IS?

Mr. President...the jig is up...you have been exposed...you are without excuse...you can not talk your way out of your bad judgement on IS...your so called foreign policy has been a miserable failure...and everyone in the world recognizes this but you...get a grip...

Well, you have been reading the news that is not based on fact or a shred of veracity. ISIL was the Frankenstein birth child of the unwarranted and illegal Iraq war that was based on false evidnce, misinformation and outright lies from Bush the Butcher.

Most Europeans despise Bush and Cheney and Blair -- and they like Obama. Most Asians prefer him to Bush 2:1. Canadians prefer him 3:1.

The congressional republicans who are hawks because their states have weapons plants are simply laughable. Four months ago, Republicans demanded the rest of the world pitch in, and now they criticize Obama for agreeing with them now.

they cannot make up their schizophrenic minds because they are not sane. Nor well read or well-informed.

schizophrenic minds because they are not sane. Nor well read or well-informed.

Typical Obama peanut gallery response to any criticism of President Obama...attack the poster...disseminate bs...and claim victory...you should be so proud...