By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, September
11 --
Hours after US
President
Barack Obama's
speech, the
Syrian
Coalition put
out a press
release: the
lobbying has
begun. The
Coalition's
Hadi al-Bahra:
"We
urge the US
Congress to
approve the
president’s
policy as soon
as possible,
and to allow
the training
and equipping
of Free Syrian
Army. The
Syrian
Coalition, the
legitimate
representative
of the Syrian
people, stands
ready and
willing to
partner with
the
international
community not
only to defeat
ISIS but also
rid the Syrian
people of the
tyranny of the
Assad regime.
Carrying out
airstrikes
against ISIS
inside Syria
might be
crucial to
international
efforts aimed
at eliminating
the extremist
group."
The
Turkey-based
Coalition is
calling for
air strikes on
Syria with no
mention of
even seeking
UN Security
Council
approval; their
lobbying is
directed at
the US
Congress
because
inaction might
tie up the
money.
Where is this
all headed?
Obama's September
10 speech was
2010 words
long,
mentioning Yemen
and Somalia
twice each, but
Libya not
once. Libya
was an intervention
Obama directed
for the US,
that has left
dueling militia
and missing
passenger jets
in its wake.
The speech
mentioned the
UN once, the
UN Security
Council
session on
foreign
fighters that
Obama will
chair on
September 24.
But what about
at least seeking
UN Security
Council
approval for
air strikes on
Syria? Apparently
not.
In calling for
the arming of
the Syrian
opposition,
including by Saudi
Arabia, some
question the
qualitative
difference
with arming
and training
of rebels in Ukraine
and snark: my
rebels good,
your rebels
bad.
Before the
speech there
were these
quotes,
embargoed
until exactly
6:30 pm:
“So
tonight, with
a new Iraqi
government in
place, and
following
consultations
with allies
abroad and
Congress at
home, I can
announce that
America will
lead a broad
coalition to
roll back this
terrorist
threat. Our
objective is
clear: we will
degrade, and
ultimately
destroy, ISIL
through a
comprehensive
and sustained
counter-terrorism
strategy.”
“But I want
the American
people to
understand how
this effort
will be
different from
the wars in
Iraq and
Afghanistan.
It will not
involve
American
combat troops
fighting on
foreign soil.
This
counter-terrorism
campaign will
be waged
through a
steady,
relentless
effort to take
out ISIL
wherever they
exist using
our air power
and our
support for
partner forces
on the ground.
This strategy
of taking out
terrorists who
threaten us,
while
supporting
partners on
the front
lines, is one
that we have
successfully
pursued in
Yemen and
Somalia for
years.”
Whether it has
been successful
in Yemen --
where the
Houthis drove
all the way to
Sana'a -- or Somalia
where the US'
local partners
raised
Shabelle
Media, is
UNclear. We'll
cover the
speech.
Starting from
the beheading
of US
journalist
James Foley,
the Syrian
Coalition has
pushed harder
to equate
Assad and the
Islamic State,
and to present
themselves,
based in
Turkey, as a
key to
fighting ISIL.
Their pitch on
the Arab
League meeting
is below.
But
first, this
read-out from
a Senior US
State
Department
official, of
Secretary of
State Kerry's
call with
Nabil
al-Arabi:
"Secretary
Kerry spoke
with the
Secretary
General of the
Arab League
Nabil Elaraby
today to
discuss
developments
in the region
and to provide
an update on
efforts to
combat ISIL in
advance of the
Arab League
meetings which
start
tomorrow.
They discussed
the need for
the Arab
League and its
members to
take a strong
position in
the coalition
that is
developing
against ISIL
and the
importance of
decisive
action to stop
the flow of
foreign
fighters,
counter ISIL's
financing, and
combat its
incitement.
"The Secretary
emphasized
that the
military
aspect is only
one part of
this effort
and that to
degrade and
destroy the
threat posed
by ISIL will
require a
holistic
approach that
will take
time,
persistence
and require
coordination
with our Arab
partners at
the
international,
regional, and
local level –
combining
military, law
enforcement,
intelligence,
economic, and
diplomatic
tools. Both
leaders also
recognized
that Iraq is
on the front
line in the
war against
ISIL and that
Iraq, the
United States,
the region,
and the
international
community must
stand together
to assist Iraq
in facing this
threat."
Earlier on
September 6
the Syrian
Coalition
issued a
statement
that:
"Nasr
al-Hariri,
Secretary
General of the
Syrian
Coalition,
calls on the
Arab League to
go beyond
political
recognition of
the Syrian
Coalition and
grant it full
legal
recognition as
the
representative
of the Syrian
people during
a meeting held
today with
Secretary
General of the
Arab League,
Nabil
al-Arabi.
"Al
Arabi invited
the Syrian
Coalition to
occupy Syria’s
seat in the
Arab League
tomorrow and
speak on
behalf of the
Syrian people.
'Fighting
terrorism
cannot be done
piecemeal,
therefore the
Arab League’s
resolution
must include
putting an end
to the terror
practiced by
the Assad
regime against
the Syrian
people,' Al
Hariri said
commenting on
the Arab
League’s
intention to
pass a
resolution to
confront
terrorism
during the
upcoming
ministerial
meeting."
The
Syrian
Coalition said
it will churn
out a quote
right after
Obama's
speech.
Footnote:
Agence France
Presse, purporting
an
info-graphic
of journalists
killed last
year, listed
four as killed
"in Gaza."
Since all
other listed
jurisdiction
are full UN
member states,
some surmised
AFP's
nomenclature
let off the
hook the
killer of
those
journalists.
Despite
calling it
social media,
weeks later
AFP had not
responded.
, 
