A US general admitted Wednesday that the US is avoiding establishing a no-fly zone in Syria for fear of becoming entangled with Syrian or Russian forces.
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Selva told the Senate Armed Services Committee that there was a threat of “direct conflict” with Syrian forces or “a miscalculation” with the Russians, if they challenge the no-fly zone.
“We have the military capacity to impose a no-fly zone. The question that we need to ask is do we have the political and policy backdrop with which to do so,” Selva told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AR), rebuked Silva, saying: “I must say, it’s one of the more embarrassing statements I’ve ever heard from a uniformed military officer, that we are worried about Syria and Russia’s reaction to saving the lives of thousands and thousands of Syrians who are being barrel-bombed and massacred.”
Selva and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter defended the argument President Barack Obama made Sunday, according to which the strategy against ISIS is working, but needs more time.
Pentagon officials said, meanwhile, that the US is likely to provide Apache helicopters to Iraqi forces looking to retake Ramadi from ISIS, and special forces from Arab allies would be enlisted to help.
Carter said Wednesday that US military advisers could accompany Iraqi forces on the ground in the effort to “finish the job” of recapturing Ramadi, which ISIS took in May, reported AFP.
A US official told CNN that any advisers accompanying Iraqi forces would likely stay back from the front line of combat, however.
‘Allies must step up’
Meanwhile, Carter said that more needed to be done by all countries – not just the United States – to defeat ISIS.
“The international community – including our allies and partners – has to step up before another attack like Paris,” Carter told the Senate committee.
Turkey needed to do more to control its borders with Syria, and Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states had been distracted by the conflict in Yemen after taking part in the US-led air campaign early on, he said.
US allies and partners had been asked to help out with special operations forces, strike and reconnaissance aircraft and weapons and munitions, he said.
He credited France, Britain, Italy, and Germany with intensifying their role in the campaign and said the Netherlands also was considering doing more.
“Meanwhile, Russia, which has publicly committed to defeating ISIL, has instead largely attacked opposition forces. It’s time for Russia to focus on the right side of this fight.”
AFP contributed to this report
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