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L awrence J ournal -W orld - USA TODAY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2015
OBAMA, HOLLANDE TO DISCUSS ISLAMIC STATE U.S. ground troops unlikely to be part of more robust strategy David Jackson USA TODAY
WASHINGTON President Obama and his French counterpart, Francois Hollande, will meet Tuesday to discuss revamped efforts to defeat the Islamic State, although their plans probably won’t include an injection of American ground troops. Obama and aides have pledged an intensification of their strategy, which stresses airstrikes and training local forces to carry the fight on the ground in Syria and Iraq. “There is a comprehensive strategy that is being implemented by the United States and the 64 other members of our coalition,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. Less than two weeks after attacks in Paris triggered terrorism warnings across the globe, Hollande’s White House visit is part of his effort to stitch together an international coalition to fight the insurgent group that claimed responsibility for the assault that claimed at least 130 lives. Hollande has said his country is at war with the jihadists, who
President Obama and French President Francois Hollande meet in 2014. have established what they call a caliphate in large swaths of Syria and Iraq and encouraged attacks on “infidels” in other countries, including the USA. Hollande met Monday with British Prime Minister David Cameron and will follow up his White House visit by meeting this week with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He plans to speak Sunday with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The U.S. strategy includes deployment of 50 special operations forces, as well as humanitarian assistance and diplomatic efforts.
SAUL LOEB, AFP/GETTY IMAGES
The U.S. strategy includes deployment of 50 special operations forces, as well as humanitarian assistance and diplomatic efforts aimed at a political settlement in Syria. Vice President Biden met Monday with officials from 59 of the 65 nations that are part of the anti-Islamic State coalition, Earnest said. The conversation “focused on how countries who are part of our coalition can ramp up their con-
tributions to our efforts,” Earnest said. In addition to expressing “solidarity and support” for France, Earnest said, Obama will discuss with Hollande ways in which their two countries can step up the fight against the Islamic State, which is also known as ISIL or ISIS. “We did see French military pilots carry out an additional round or two of airstrikes over Syria, and we certainly welcome that contribution,” Earnest said. “I think there is plenty for the two leaders to talk about.” Obama and Hollande will see each other again shortly after Tuesday’s meeting. Early next week, Obama will travel to France for a meeting of global leaders on climate change. Critics, including the Republican presidential candidates, have criticized Obama’s Islamic State strategy as inadequate, and some have called for use of ground troops. Obama defended his strategy throughout his recent trip to Asia, saying Sunday that it will lead to the destruction of the Islamic State. “We’re going to get it done, and we’re going to pursue it with every aspect of American power and with all the coalition partners that we’ve assembled,” Obama said. “It’s going to get done.”
NEWS ANALYSIS
Russia-Iran courtship has its limitations On many issues, they are as much competitors as allies Oren Dorell USA TODAY
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iran on Monday highlights multiple converging interests between the two countries, but it’s unclear the courtship will turn into a lasting marriage. Russia and Iran are both major oil and gas exporters, they’ve long collaborated on Iran’s disputed nuclear program, and their militaries are both supporting forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad in Syria’s four-year civil war. But on each issue, Iran and Russia are as much competitors as allies, says Suzanne Maloney, an Iran analyst at the Brookings Institution. “They have competing interests when it comes to oil,” Maloney says. And “simply because they both are helping to defend Assad doesn’t mean their goals are identical or that what happens on the ground works to equal benefit for both parties.” Russia seeks to sell refined nuclear fuel and technology to Iran, which seeks to expand parts of its nuclear program as allowed under the recently signed agreement aimed at keeping Iran from developing nuclear weapons. But years of performance issues and on-off progress at Iran’s Russianbuilt Bushehr nuclear plant have prompted Iran to look to Europe for foreign assistance. In the petroleum market, Iran and Russia also have different aims. Iran, whose economy has
ATTA KENARE, AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Russian President Putin
ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH, EPA
Iranian President Rouhani
SYRIAN ARAB NEWS AGENCY
Syrian President Assad
“Russia and Iran share the objective of perpetuating Bashar al-Assad in power for as long as possible, but they have completely different reasons for wanting that result.” Fred Hof, who led the Obama administration’s failed effort to seek peace talks between Syria and Israel
been stifled by years of nuclear sanctions, plans to develop its oil and natural gas fields and increase output by 1 million barrels a day, or about 25%, by mid-2016, says energy analyst Sara Vakhshouri of SVB Energy International in Washington. That will put downward pressure on prices that are already at their lowest point in decades, Vakhshouri wrote in a recent study. Russia, which is facing economic sanctions for its intervention in Ukraine, wants energy prices to rise, which would re-
quire a decrease in the global petroleum supply. In Syria, cooperation between the two countries is tainted by different goals and mutual distrust, according to current and former Western diplomats in Washington. “Russia and Iran share the objective of perpetuating Bashar alAssad in power for as long as possible, but they have completely different reasons for wanting that result,” says Fred Hof, who led the Obama administration’s failed effort to seek peace talks
between Syria and Israel before the outbreak of Syria’s civil war. The U.S. goal at the time was to break the link between Iran and the powerful Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, which Iran supplies through Syria. “The Iranians have come to the conclusion based on 15 years of evidence that Bashar Assad personally is crucial to helping them maintain support for Hezbollah,” said Hof, who is at the Atlantic Council think-tank. Hezbollah maintains an arsenal of tens of thousands of mis-
siles aimed at Israel, giving Iran leverage over the Jewish state. And Syria has allowed Iranian advisers and weapons to pass freely to the Lebanese Shiite militia, which the U.S. designates as a terrorist organization. “The Iranians fear that if Bashar Assad is shuffled off the stage that his regime will collapse, and beside Bashar ... there is not support in Syria for subordinating the country’s interests to Hezbollah,” Hof said. Russia’s interests in Syria are not about Hezbollah. Putin’s goal is to demonstrate that “Russia stands by its friends, and that Russia will defeat what Putin says is this American strategy of democratization in the Middle East and around the world,” Hof said. On the ground in Syria, Russia and Iran support different factions among the forces supporting Assad. Iran supports Hezbollah, Russia works with the Syrian military. “The Russians and Iranians are approaching this from different directions,” Hof said. “But they do agree that Bashar should stay in the saddle. For the Russians, he should stay in at least long enough to throw in against (the Islamic State). For Iran, he should stay in power at least as long as they need Hezbollah to pressure Israel.” Corrections & Clarifications USA TODAY is committed to accuracy. To reach us, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones at 800-8727073 or e-mail accuracy@usatoday.com. Please indicate whether you’re responding to content online or in the newspaper.
IN BRIEF U.S. MILITARY HELICOPTER CRASHES IN S. KOREA
Two U.S. pilots were killed Monday when a military helicopter crashed near Wonju, South Korea, during a routine training mission, the Pentagon said. The AH-64 Apache, which crashed about 50 miles east of Camp Humphreys, belonged to the U.S. Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, Republic of Korea/U.S. Combined Division. The identities of the victims were being withheld pending notification of families. The cause of the crash was under investigation, Lt. Col. Chris Hyde said in a statement. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said a power line appeared to be tangled in the wreckage, and a nearby tower was damaged. — Jane Onyanga-Omara PRINCE CHARLES: CLIMATE CHANGE A CAUSE IN WAR
Britain’s Prince Charles said that climate change could be one
The interview was filmed three weeks ago, before the terror attacks in Paris that killed 130 people, Sky said. — Jane Onyanga-Omara
WEST BANK ATTACK
TEXAS STUDENT ARRESTED FOR CLOCK FILES $15M SUIT
AHMAD GHARABLI, AFP/GETTY IMAGES
An Israeli soldier reacts Monday at the scene of a reported stabbing carried out by a Palestinian man on two Israeli soldiers, killing one, at a gas station on the edge of the West Bank. of the causes of the civil war in Syria, terrorism and Europe’s refugee crisis. Charles, a well-known environmental campaigner, is scheduled to give a keynote speech at the opening of the United Nations conference on climate change in
Paris next week. In an interview with Sky News that was to air Monday, the heir to the British throne said he was concerned that disaster would follow if issues such as global warming are not addressed more urgently.
Attorneys for the family of Ahmed Mohamed, the Irving, Texas, high school student who made headlines after being arrested for bringing a homemade clock to school, have sent letters to the city of Irving and the Irving School District demanding apologies and $15 million in damages. Both letters claim that Mohamed’s civil rights were violated, and he and his family have suffered physical and mental anguish because of the ordeal. The letters claim Ahmed was singled out “because of his race, national origin, and religion.” The letters demand $10 million be paid to the family by the city of Irving, and $5 million from the school district. — Jordan Armstrong, WFAA-TV
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