images

On Wednesday, President Obama gave a nationally televised address to the nation on how he plans on confronting the threat from ISIS.  One of the main components the president stated and his administration has reiterated he would be building an international and Arab coalition to defeat ISIS.

In his address, the president mentioned we will be “working with our partners,” and also “mobilizing the international community around this effort.”

The question which needs to be asked is who is going to be part of this coalition? The German foreign minister has publicly stated that his country will not take part in any air campaign inside Syria.

British Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond supports what America is trying to do with regard to ISIS, but has said there are limits to what Great Britain can contribute.

Hammond stated, “Let me be clear, Britain will not be taking part in any airstrikes in Syria, I can be very clear about that. We’ve already had that discussion in our parliament last year and we won’t be revisiting that position.”

The president has dispatched U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to the Middle East to begin building a coalition of Arab countries.  The purpose of Kerry’s trip as outlined by the president is to “travel across the Middle East and Europe to enlist more partners in this fight, especially Arab nations who can help mobilize Sunni communities in Iraq and Syria, to drive these terrorists from their lands.  This is American leadership at its best:  We stand with people who fight for their own freedom, and we rally other nations on behalf of our common security and common humanity.”

As of right now Kerry is having a difficult time gain Arab support for the president’s strategy.

The New York Times reported on Thursday, many Arab governments grumbled quietly in 2011 as the United States left Iraq, fearful it might fall deeper into chaos or Iranian influence. Now, the United States is back and getting a less than enthusiastic welcome, with leading allies like Egypt, Jordan and Turkey all finding ways on Thursday to avoid specific commitments to President Obama’s expanded military campaign against Sunni extremists.

The Times continued to report, The tepid support could further complicate the already complex task Mr. Obama has laid out for himself in fighting the extremist Islamic State in Iraq and Syria: He must try to confront the group without aiding Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, or appearing to side with Mr. Assad’s Shiite allies, Iran and the militant group Hezbollah, against discontented Sunnis across the Arab world.

Obama’s basic fundamental problem is that many of our allies in Europe and the Middle East just don’t trust the president to follow through on his strategy.  Numerous times since he has been president he rarely has consulted them when making key decisions affecting the region and their security.

Egypt is still dismayed at the American decision to hold up aid after the Egyptian military ousted President Mohamed Morsi from office, as they currently have their own hands full fighting terrorism.

The problem for Obama is simple; our allies don’t trust the president!