Russian President Vladimir Putin can count out Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies for its new anti-Islamic State coalition in Syria. Russia and Iran are ramping up military forces along Syria's Mediterranean coast to bolster the government of President Bashar al-Assad and, purportedly, fight ISIS — a goal the U.S. military says is low on Putin's priority list.
On Tuesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jebeir told reporters that "it's inconceivable that there will be a political solution with President Assad remaining in power," that a military solution to oust Assad was on the table, and that Putin's request that other Middle Eastern nations join his nascent coalition is a "non-starter." If Russia really wants to fight ISIS, he added, "they could join the existing international coalition." As for his country, al-Jubeir said the Saudis expect their support for the "moderate Syrian opposition that is fighting against President Assad... will continue and be intensified."
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