Conference on ISIS Excludes Syria, Iran; Iran, U.S. Reject Idea of Cooperating Militarily

Thirty
countries met in Paris yesterday at the invitation of the
French president, Francois Hollande, to talk about the threat posed
by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) Among them were the
U.S., Russia, China, and the U.K. and several Arab countries but
not Syria, one of the countries in which ISIS is operating, nor
Iran, which borders Iraq and, as every country in the region,
considers ISIS a national security threat.

Instead, the American and Iranian governments used the
opportunity to exchange barbs. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, claimed his government refused a “private
request” from the U.S. to cooperate on ISIS. Iran already
assists Iraq militarily, as does the U.S., and also assists the
Syrian government in its ongoing civil war with ISIS and various
other rebel groups.

The Syrian government, meanwhile, has insisted airstrikes in
Syria without its permission would be a “big mistake,” blaming the
U.S. and its allies on helping to create ISIS. “Those who would
like to fight terrorism cannot fight terrorism in Syria or in Iraq
without coordinated actions with both governments and without a
broader international coalition,” Syria’s deputy foreign minister
said, according to the
Tehran Times. “That should also take on board Russia,
China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and all other countries. You
cannot fight terrorism when you collaborate with those who created
these terrorist groups, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and
others.” 

ISIS declared itself a caliphate in July, its dominion over all
Muslims and territory reaching from Turkey to Saudi Arabia, the
site of Islam’s holiest city. While some American politicians warn
that ISIS (like the big bads that came before it) could send agents
across the porous U.S.-Mexico border. ISIS has far closer borders
to penetrate in Saudia Arabia to the south and Turkey to the
north.

In the meantime, only the United States has conducted air
strikes in Iraq so far, and it is
looking for other countries to commit combat troops. France,
which called the ISIS conference last month, only began
surveillance flights over Iraq after receiving permission from the
Iraqi government at the conference.  Gen. Martin Dempsey, the
chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said ground troops in Iraq
would be possible if airstrikes “fail.” As the U.S. prepares to
escalate its military campaign against ISIS, it only provides
regional powers more threatened by ISIS’ operations
less incentive to act on their own.