First Germany, Now France Folds On Syrian Airstrikes

In yet another rather embarrassing event for The White House, just days after President Obama praised the French for helping in the fight against ISIS, and General martin Dempsey noted "the French were our very first ally and they're with us again now," French officials have, according to Reuters, ruled out participation in airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria. With the fall of France (and Germany already saying "nein"), it appears the broad coalition is now a "coalition of none," as Obama has stated the US would not go it alone...

Last week...

Germany and the U.K. ruled out carrying out air strikes on Islamic State militants in Syria, a day after President Barack Obama authorized the start of U.S. air strikes there. [12]

Turkey - the USA's closest ally in NATO among the Middle East - denies them its airbases for use as launch sites of airstrikes and will not support airstrikes in Syria [12]

Iraq's newly-installed US-friendly PM al-Abadi defies the US and halts airstrikes on ISIS-held civilian areas [12]

Last Friday...

President Obama and his staff are thanking France for agreeing to help in Iraq in the fight against the Islamic State.

 

"We look forward to coordinating with our French partners in the days to come," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

And now today...

• FRANCE RULES OUT AIR STRIKES IN SYRIA AGAINST ISLAMIC STATE, FOREIGN MINISTER LAURENT FABIUS SAYS

The "Coalition of None" continues...

[13]

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If you like your anti-ISIS airstrike coalition, you can't keep it...

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Perhaps most concerningly for The US administration, the fact that Germany and France have denied the US leaves them instead sided with Russia's perspective on Syria and ISIS, as "there are deep concerns that the U.S. will bomb not only ISIS positions in Syria, but also the Syrian government forces."