US declares it is at "war" against IS

Two days after US President Barack Obama laid out a specific strategy against the rise of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS), the White House and the Pentagon on September 12 declared that the US was at "war" with the extremist Islamic group, but affirmed that this war was different from the previous war in Iraq.

In a statement, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the Washington administration is at war with IS, similar to the war against the international terrorist network al-Qaeda and its "armed affiliates" around the world.

US troops in Iraq in April 2004. (Source: AP)

Cautiously using the word "war," Earnest made clear that the White House's strategy in Iraq and Syria is to degrade and ultimately destroy IS, which is completely different from the previous US strategy in Iraq.

Similar to the above statement, Pentagon spokesman, Navy Rear Admiral John Kirby affirmed that Washington is at war with IS and the US will continue to fight Al Qaeda as well as its terrorist branches.

Regarding Washington's specific strategies against IS, US Secretary of State John Kerry in an interview with the press also affirmed that Washington is participating in a major war against terrorism and this will be a long-term war.

On the same day, the US government appointed former US Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces in Afghanistan, General John Allen, to take on the role of head of the international effort against IS elements.

In a statement, US State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said that with this responsibility, General Allen will support the continued building, linking and ensuring the global coalition on all fronts to weaken and destroy IS.

General John Allen, 60, was the head of NATO forces in Afghanistan from July 2011 to December 2013, and is well-versed in the geopolitical situation in Afghanistan and Iraq. In his new position, the four-star general will not oversee military operations. He will be tasked with requesting aid in terms of weapons, combat vehicles and other logistical support for the international coalition.

In a related event, Iraqi President Fuad Masum said in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat newspaper the same day that Iran will be invited to attend an international conference to discuss measures against IS militants, taking place on September 15 in Paris (France).

According to a VNA correspondent in the Middle East, the international conference will be attended by a number of countries in the region such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Kuwait, Türkiye, along with the US and a number of European countries.

President Masum stressed that IS is not only a serious threat to Iraq but also to all other Middle Eastern countries. Iran has sent many forces to fight alongside the Iraqi army to regain positions that have fallen to IS and prevent this extremist Islamic force from expanding its occupation to the northern regions.

However, Washington immediately issued a statement opposing Tehran's presence at the conference. Speaking at a press conference in Türkiye, US Secretary of State John Kerry said he had not been informed about this, but he said Iran's presence in this situation and at the present time was inappropriate.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Masoud Jazayeri declared on September 12 that Iran and the US cannot cooperate in the fight against IS.

Iran's Press TV channel quoted Mr. Masoud Jazayeri as saying: "Such cooperation is completely impossible because Iran fights IS while the US created IS."

Mr. Jazayeri also stressed that IS militants have no way to approach Iran's border areas because they will face the might of Iran's armed forces.

On the same day, the Kenyan government announced that it will cooperate with the US to fight terrorism that is currently affecting some economic sectors of West African countries./.

According to VNA