Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Obama has taken no decision on Syria airstrikes: White House

Obama has taken no decision on Syria airstrikes: White House:



The White House said Monday that President Barack Obama had so far made no decision on whether to launch air strikes on Islamic State militants in Syria.

"The president has not made any decision to conduct military action in Syria," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said, amid rising expectations of US action following American attacks against the jihadist group in Iraq.Earnest addressed reports that the Pentagon has been preparing options for US military action in Syria, saying it was the job of the US military headquarters to plan for all kinds of scenarios.Earnest did not directly respond to a comment by President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria that it was willing to work with the United States to take on "terrorism" inside Syria, in a reference to IS forces opposed by both Washington and Damascus.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem was also quoted as saying that any US air strikes would require coordination with the government in Damascus or they would be considered a violation of its sovereignty.