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World powers backing action in Iraq
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WORLD powers yesterday backed military measures to help defeat Islamic State fighters in Iraq, boosting Washington’s efforts to set up a coalition. But there was no mention of the tougher diplomatic challenge next door in Syria.
France sent fighter jets on a reconnaissance mission over Iraq, a step closer to becoming the first ally to join the United States in new bombing there since President Barack Obama declared his plans to establish a broad coalition.
Paris also hosted an international conference, attended by the five UN Security Council permanent members, European and Arab states, and representatives of the EU, Arab League and United Nations. All pledged to help the government in Baghdad fight against Islamic State militants.
But a statement after yesterday’s conference made no mention at all of Syria — the other country where Islamic State fighters hold a wide swathe of territory. Iraq attended the meeting but Syria did not, nor did its main regional ally Iran.
Obama pledged last week to establish a coalition to defeat Islamic State fighters in both Iraq and Syria, plunging the US into two separate civil wars in which nearly every country in the Middle East has a stake.
“All participants underscored the urgent need to remove Daesh from the regions in which it has established itself in Iraq,” said a statement after yesterday’s talks, using an Arabic acronym for the group which now calls itself Islamic State.
“To that end, they committed to supporting the new Iraqi government in its fight against Daesh, by any means necessary, including appropriate military assistance...” it said.
Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said French aircraft would begin reconnaissance flights over Iraq and a French official said two Rafale fighter jets and a refueling aircraft had taken off for Iraq.
“The throat-slitters of Daesh — that’s what I’m calling them — tell the whole world ‘Either you’re with us or we kill you.’ And when one is faced with such a group there is no other attitude than to defend yourself,” Fabius said.
Iraqi President Fouad Massoum said he hoped the Paris meeting would bring a “quick response.”
He told delegates Islamic State had committed “massacres and genocidal crimes and ethnic purification.”
Islamic State fighters set off alarms across the Middle East in June when they swept across northern Iraq, seizing cities, slaughtering prisoners, proclaiming a caliphate to rule over all Muslims and ordering non-Sunnis to convert or die.
The US resumed air strikes in Iraq in August for the first time since the 2011 withdrawal of troops, fearful militants would break the country up and use it as a base for attacks on the West.
Obama’s plans would involve stronger military action in Iraq and extend the campaign across the frontier to Syria. Secretary of State John Kerry has said he believes he can forge a solid alliance despite hesitancy among some partners and questions over the legality of action.
US officials said several Arab countries had offered to join the US in air strikes against Islamic State targets.
Britain has yet to confirm it will take part in air strikes, despite the killing of British aid worker David Haines by Islamic State fighters.
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