Mr. Kerry was in the United Arab Emirates’s capital to hold discussions with senior Emirati and Saudi officials centering on ways to push forward a process of political transition in Syria.
Advertisement
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the November 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people and wounded hundreds.
Kerry told reporters in Abu Dhabi, after meeting officials of the United Arab Emirates, that he is urging Middle East leaders to act faster in getting opposition and rebel groups together with the Damascus Government. But Khoja and three of his predecessors as SNC president argue that Assad has to go if there is to be an effective strategy for fighting Isis.
At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest said the USA 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.
He made no mention of any country authorizing a large-scale deployment of boots on the ground to Syria, as some Republican presidential candidates have suggested. A majority of voters now say terrorism is the most important issue facing the country, supplanting the economy, which came in second with 21 percent, according to a Fox News poll released Sunday.
Referring to the Paris attacks, Kerry said called for accelerated efforts against Islamic State militants. Assad said terrorist forces in Syria grew stronger after the U.S.-led coalition started its operation.
In reality, the Obama administration constrained any serious measures in order not to ruffle Assad’s facilitators – the Iranian regime – while pursuing a shaky nuclear agreement not supported by USA public opinion.
“We have to cut off the notion of success in Daesh that attracts people elsewhere to want to affiliate with them, and then Daesh gets a cheapie – someone who is already a terrorist does something in their name”, he said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.
A Western diplomat said the Russian document appeared to be “a trial balloon” to test worldwide reaction, and also to calm any uneasiness among Assad’s entourage. In recent days, ISIS has managed to pull off attacks in Paris and Beirut and brought down a Russian jetliner.
Advertisement
Asked to comment as to how he would assure the people that there was no imminent threat, Secretary Kerry said that was no specific threat or stream or specific evidence, but added that there was always the threat of some actor, some lone-wolf, someone who slipped through. But they’re gaining support from other terrorist groups around the world, making defeating them more urgent.
