The attack has stirred the French to action. The President, Hollande has called a special session of the Senate and the National Assembly ( only the third time since 1848); invoked Sec16, emergency powers; is adding 5,000 more to the security forces; extending the emergency for three months; is sending the aircraft carrier de Gaulle to the region, tripling its air strike ability and called for a coalition with USA and Russia ( this is rare for France since the 1960's has preferred to act alone).
Russia has increased its bombing of ISIL sites and so has the USA. Obama and Putin held a tete-a tete at the G-20 meeting and there seems to be a consensus to involve Iran more. This is overdue as Shia Iran is in a for the long haul in the fight against the Sunni ISIL and al Qaeda, both for its own protection/security and those of the Shias of Iraq and Syria. This means that there will be less attention paid to the removal of Assad and more focus on fighting the common enemy ISIL.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia, which have wanted to bring down Assad and ( in the case of Turkey weaken the Kurds), will now see their objective give way to the fight against ISIL. This means a greater role for Iran and the Shia regimes in Iraq Syria as well as the Kurds, who will be need to supply the troops on ground, while the Americans, the Russians and the French bomb from the air. This is a potent combination and it limits the need for Western/ American/ French " boots on the ground", and this will suit Obama, even as the right-wing hawks in the USA are calling for troops to be sent.
ISIL may have hoped for a robust Western response but not this. They were hoping that public sentiment would force Obama to commit ground forces, but Obama has held steady. Instead what ISIL will face is a ferocious bombing as well as a better armed and focused ground campaign by the Iranians, the Kurds, the Syrians and the Iraqis.
ISIL has sown the wind and will reap the whirlwind
Nov. 18, update........France has invoked the never-used Article 42.7 " mutual defence clause" that states that if a member country " is the victim of armed aggression on its territory" other members have " an obligation of aid and assistance by all means in their power". France has said that they can help " either by taking part in France's operations in Syria and Iraq or by easing the load or providing support in other operations".... Northern Africa, Central African Republic, Lebanon. France can also invoke Article 5 of the NATO agreement
Russia has increased its bombing of ISIL sites and so has the USA. Obama and Putin held a tete-a tete at the G-20 meeting and there seems to be a consensus to involve Iran more. This is overdue as Shia Iran is in a for the long haul in the fight against the Sunni ISIL and al Qaeda, both for its own protection/security and those of the Shias of Iraq and Syria. This means that there will be less attention paid to the removal of Assad and more focus on fighting the common enemy ISIL.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia, which have wanted to bring down Assad and ( in the case of Turkey weaken the Kurds), will now see their objective give way to the fight against ISIL. This means a greater role for Iran and the Shia regimes in Iraq Syria as well as the Kurds, who will be need to supply the troops on ground, while the Americans, the Russians and the French bomb from the air. This is a potent combination and it limits the need for Western/ American/ French " boots on the ground", and this will suit Obama, even as the right-wing hawks in the USA are calling for troops to be sent.
ISIL may have hoped for a robust Western response but not this. They were hoping that public sentiment would force Obama to commit ground forces, but Obama has held steady. Instead what ISIL will face is a ferocious bombing as well as a better armed and focused ground campaign by the Iranians, the Kurds, the Syrians and the Iraqis.
ISIL has sown the wind and will reap the whirlwind
Nov. 18, update........France has invoked the never-used Article 42.7 " mutual defence clause" that states that if a member country " is the victim of armed aggression on its territory" other members have " an obligation of aid and assistance by all means in their power". France has said that they can help " either by taking part in France's operations in Syria and Iraq or by easing the load or providing support in other operations".... Northern Africa, Central African Republic, Lebanon. France can also invoke Article 5 of the NATO agreement
