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François Hollande and Obama Meet to Plan ISIS Strategy François Hollande and Obama Meet to Plan ISIS Fight
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — President Obama welcomed 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 welcomed 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 arrived 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.
“We’re here today to declare that the United States and France stand united in total solidarity,” Mr. Obama said, with Mr. Hollande at his side in the East Room. He called the attacks on Paris an attack on all open societies by a ruthless enemy. “It cannot be tolerated,” he said. “It must be destroyed. And we must do it together.”
Mr. Obama spoke of the shared values of the American and French people, said the events in Paris had struck here personally, as well. Next to his bed in the White House, he said, is a photograph of him and Michelle Obama kissing in Luxembourg Gardens. “When tragedy struck that evening, our hearts broke too,” he said.
In a line reminiscent of one used by the French to express solidarity with the United States after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Mr. Obama said in French: “Nous sommes tous Français.” (“We are all French.”)
Mr. Hollande expressed appreciation for the support, noting that Mr. Obama was one of the first world leaders to call him after the attacks and calling the French and the Americans “two peoples together, merged as one, sharing the same emotion and the same willingness to fight for freedom.”
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.
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. 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.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 made clear he has not backed down on this fundamental point. “We agree that Russia could play a more constructive role if it were to shift the focus of its strikes to defeating ISIL,” the president said Tuesday, using an acronym for the Islamic State and emphasizing the words “could” and “if.”
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, 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.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.”