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François Hollande Meeting With Obama on ISIS Strategy François Hollande Meeting With Obama on ISIS Strategy
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — President Obama planned to welcome President François Hollande of France to the White House on Tuesday to map out the future of the international campaign against the Islamic State as pressure rose for a more aggressive approach.WASHINGTON — President Obama planned to welcome President François Hollande of France to the White House on Tuesday to map out the future of the international campaign against the Islamic State as pressure rose for a more aggressive approach.
Just over 10 days after terrorist attacks in Paris killed 130 people, Mr. Hollande arrives in Washington seeking to stitch together a tighter alliance against the Islamic State, which has claimed responsibility. But the prospect for a broader consensus was made more challenging by a complex mosaic of competing interests.Just over 10 days after terrorist attacks in Paris killed 130 people, Mr. Hollande arrives in Washington seeking to stitch together a tighter alliance against the Islamic State, which has claimed responsibility. But the prospect for a broader consensus was made more challenging by a complex mosaic of competing interests.
Mr. Hollande hoped to bring together the United States and Russia against a mutual enemy, but the two former Cold War rivals remained divided by fundamental differences over the fate of Syria. While Russia’s new air campaign in Syria ostensibly targets the Islamic State, it seems aimed mainly at bolstering the government of President Bashar al-Assad, whom Mr. Obama has said should step down.Mr. Hollande hoped to bring together the United States and Russia against a mutual enemy, but the two former Cold War rivals remained divided by fundamental differences over the fate of Syria. While Russia’s new air campaign in Syria ostensibly targets the Islamic State, it seems aimed mainly at bolstering the government of President Bashar al-Assad, whom Mr. Obama has said should step down.
After his stop in Washington, Mr. Hollande planned to head to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to see if the divide can be bridged, but the White House and Kremlin showed no signs of that on Monday. Mr. Putin visited Iran to consult with leaders in Tehran who share his support for Mr. Assad, a trip that seemed intended almost as a parallel effort to shore up opposition to Western demands for his departure. Mr. Obama and Mr. Hollande will hold a news conference around 11:30 a.m. After his stop in Washington, Mr. Hollande planned to head to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to see if the divide can be bridged, but the White House and Kremlin showed no signs of that.
Mr. Putin visited Iran on Monday to consult with leaders in Tehran who share his support for Mr. Assad, a trip that seemed intended almost as a parallel effort to shore up opposition to Western demands for his departure. And the situation grew more volatile on Tuesday after Turkey, a NATO ally, shot down a Russian jet involved in the Syria operation; Ankara said the jet was flying in Turkish airspace, which Moscow denied.
“No one from the outside can and should enforce models of government on the Syrian people and determine who should be in charge,” Mr. Putin was reported saying while in Tehran, where he met with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani. “Only the Syrian people should decide that.”“No one from the outside can and should enforce models of government on the Syrian people and determine who should be in charge,” Mr. Putin was reported saying while in Tehran, where he met with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani. “Only the Syrian people should decide that.”
But Mr. Obama’s team made clear he has not backed down on this fundamental point. “Right now what Russia is doing, they are undermining our effort to reach a political settlement,” said Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary. “And they are doing that because they are concerned primarily with propping up the failed regime of Bashar al-Assad.”But Mr. Obama’s team made clear he has not backed down on this fundamental point. “Right now what Russia is doing, they are undermining our effort to reach a political settlement,” said Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary. “And they are doing that because they are concerned primarily with propping up the failed regime of Bashar al-Assad.”
The Paris attacks, coming shortly after the downing of a Russian passenger jet over Egypt, apparently by an Islamic State bomb, have upended the lineup in the Middle East. Both France and Russia in recent days have bombed Islamic State strongholds in Syria. Until now, France had confined its efforts against the Islamic State mainly to Iraq, where it had the invitation of the government, and Russia had concentrated on bombing other opponents of Mr. Assad’s government, some backed by the United States.The Paris attacks, coming shortly after the downing of a Russian passenger jet over Egypt, apparently by an Islamic State bomb, have upended the lineup in the Middle East. Both France and Russia in recent days have bombed Islamic State strongholds in Syria. Until now, France had confined its efforts against the Islamic State mainly to Iraq, where it had the invitation of the government, and Russia had concentrated on bombing other opponents of Mr. Assad’s government, some backed by the United States.
But if Mr. Hollande has vowed a merciless response for the Paris attacks, declaring that “we are at war,” Mr. Obama has been on the defensive, insisting that his strategy against the Islamic State is working and dismissing calls for escalation. Even as he argues that a combination of airstrikes and assistance to local forces on the ground will eventually chip away at the Islamic State, Republicans and even some Democrats have pressed for a recalibration.But if Mr. Hollande has vowed a merciless response for the Paris attacks, declaring that “we are at war,” Mr. Obama has been on the defensive, insisting that his strategy against the Islamic State is working and dismissing calls for escalation. Even as he argues that a combination of airstrikes and assistance to local forces on the ground will eventually chip away at the Islamic State, Republicans and even some Democrats have pressed for a recalibration.
The White House said on Monday that the United States is already doing its share and it was Europe that needed to step up. “We certainly believe that there is more that France and their European partners can do in terms of sharing information among themselves and with the United States,” Mr. Earnest said. The White House said on Monday that the United States, which has conducted two-thirds of the strikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and 95 percent in Syria, is already doing its share and it was Europe that needed to step up. “We certainly believe that there is more that France and their European partners can do in terms of sharing information among themselves and with the United States,” Mr. Earnest said.
He pointed out that France was able to conduct its airstrikes in Syria after the Paris attacks only with the help of the United States, which not only handed over intelligence about targets but also provided midair refueling and search-and-rescue backup in case something went wrong. Mr. Obama and Mr. Hollande will talk about how to expand on that.He pointed out that France was able to conduct its airstrikes in Syria after the Paris attacks only with the help of the United States, which not only handed over intelligence about targets but also provided midair refueling and search-and-rescue backup in case something went wrong. Mr. Obama and Mr. Hollande will talk about how to expand on that.
“I would anticipate they will also discuss how France can continue to ramp up their contribution to our counter-ISIL effort,” Mr. Earnest said, using an acronym for the Islamic State, “including in the category of military contributions that France is prepared to make to this effort.”“I would anticipate they will also discuss how France can continue to ramp up their contribution to our counter-ISIL effort,” Mr. Earnest said, using an acronym for the Islamic State, “including in the category of military contributions that France is prepared to make to this effort.”