US fights IS "on all fronts"

(Baonghean.vn) - That was the direction of US President Barack Obama to his national security team on February 25, emphasizing that the US-led international campaign will defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) organization "on all fronts".

President Obama at the conference table before a National Security Council meeting at the State Department in Washington on February 25. The meeting focused on the global campaign to degrade and defeat IS, along with Syria and other regional issues. Sitting next to Obama on the left are General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Secretary of State John Kerry. Photo: AP.

Mr Obama also expressed hope that the proposed ceasefire in Syria would lead to a political solution to end the civil war and allow more focus on IS.

President Obama commented after an extraordinary meeting at the State Department with several senior national security advisers, who briefed him on the latest developments in parallel efforts to combat the Islamic State group and bring peace to Syria after years of civil conflict.

Standing alongside Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and other senior advisers, Mr. Obama said: “I have just directed my team to continue to accelerate this campaign on all fronts.”

Obama said like-minded nations were coming forward to offer more support to defeat the Islamic State group. Since last summer, IS fighters have made no gains in Syria or Iraq, where the group controls large swaths of territory.

On the issue of Syria, Mr. Obama does not expect the ceasefire scheduled to take effect from February 27 to immediately end the fighting after years of bloodshed between forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebels trying to overthrow him.

The ceasefire announced this week is a “test” of whether the parties are committed to broader negotiations on a political transition, a new constitution and free elections, Obama said, adding that there can be no place for President Assad in Syria’s future, a key point of contention with the Syrian leader’s backers, Russia and Iran.

“We will certainly continue to have a fight,” the US President said, noting that IS, the Nusra Front or other organizations are not part of the above negotiations.

Obama said Russia and its allies - including the Assad regime - were responsible for meeting their commitments under the agreement. The ceasefire was only reached after months of Russian air strikes, which the US said were a move to strengthen Assad and allow his forces to retake territory, changing the balance of power in the Syrian civil war. The US president affirmed: "The whole world will be watching this ceasefire."

Thu Giang

(According to AP)