WASHINGTON — Two months after the start of its campaign against the Islamic State militant group, U.S.-led military operations in Iraq and Syria have expanded significantly but remain beset by lingering strategic differences that threaten to undermine the fight.
The Obama administration has emphasized the breadth of the coalition it has assembled, including five Arab countries that have played a supporting role in airstrikes in Syria. But serious disagreements remain, particularly over the coalition’s plan for Syria and whether the fight against Islamic State militants there will strengthen or weaken Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in the long run.
Military chiefs from the United States and 21 other countries convened Tuesday for an unusual session at Joint Base Andrews, Md., to discuss the campaign. The day-long event, hosted by Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, included an appearance by President Barack Obama — part of an effort by his administration to dispel doubts about Washington’s long-term commitment to the region.
In his remarks to a room filled with international military brass, Obama cited some preliminary “important successes” against the Islamic State group but warned that “this is going to be a long-term campaign” with “periods of progress and setbacks.”
The question is whether such a diverse coalition, with differing objectives, can be herded into agreement on a coherent strategy.
Islamic State forces have lost control of territory in some places while making gains in others. They have surged across Anbar province in western Iraq and during the weekend closed within several miles of the Baghdad international airport, where hundreds of U.S. troops are stationed.
Meanwhile, Turkish warplanes struck Kurdish insurgents for the first time in nearly two years, Turkish media reported, in attacks that threatened to further complicate efforts to persuade Ankara to join the coalition.
Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said it was too soon to assess the effectiveness of the campaign.
“It’s simply too premature,” he said.
