Military leaders from more than 20 countries will meet today to thrash out their next move against Islamic State.
The session is expected to focus on which, if any, coalition partners might commit to ground forces to stop the militant's advance in Iraq and Syria.US President Barack Obama will attend the meeting at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, where leaders will also assess the work already done.Led by General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, the meeting will include representatives from Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.The extent of Turkey's commitment to the fight against the extremists will "hang in the background" today, says the Washington Times.US defence officials said over the weekend that Turkey had given the US permission to launch air strikes against IS from air bases in its territory. However, Turkish officials have since leaked statements to several news organisations to say that no such agreement has been reached.Talks with Turkey are ongoing, and the country has agreed to join Saudi Arabia as a destination for training vetted Syrian opposition rebels. The Pentagon says it is in the "very early" stages of developing protocols for vetting 5,000 Free Syrian Army rebels ahead of training.Today's meeting comes as Obama faces criticism for his strategy so far in the fight against IS. Republican senator John McCain is among those complaining that IS is "winning and we're not".Anthony Cordesman, national security analyst at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, also told Reuters: "This is a long campaign. It hasn't gone badly, but it certainly hasn't gone well."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What is Free Speech?: a 'meticulous' look at the evolution of freedom of expressionThe Week Recommends Fara Dabhoiwala provides both history and critique while 'correcting misconceptions'
-
Rupert Gavin shares his favourite booksThe Week Recommends The theatre impresario picks works by Dan Jones, Annie Ernaux and Floella Benjamin
-
What They Found: Sam Mendes's powerful debut documentaryThe Week Recommends The Oscar-winning director's harrowing film features footage and first-hand accounts of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarrayIn the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Is the pro-Assad insurgency a threat to the new Syria?Today's Big Question Interim leader accuses regime loyalists and 'foreign backers' of trying to 'divide and destroy' the country
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliamentTHE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysisIn Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
-
The challenge facing Syria's AlawitesUnder The Radar Minority sect that was favoured under Assad now fears for its future
