STATE DEPARTMENT The United States along with European and Mideast allies are considering a broader assault against Islamic State fighters who have spread from Syria into Iraq and risk further destabilizing an already troubled region. But, confronting those militants could end up helping the embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Losing ground to Islamic State fighters, Syrias government says it is ready to cooperate with the international community to combat these resurgent militants.
Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem says Damascus welcomes even the United States, which is backing Syrias more-moderate opposition.
The coming few days will judge the seriousness of regional and international countries in fighting terrorism. Until now we have not sensed this seriousness, said al-Moallem.
Getting that sort of cooperation would be a big boost for Assad, says American University professor Akbar Ahmed.
It would exonerate him and in a sense it would also establish his legitimacy in the eyes of his own regime that look, We did all this because it was necessary. There may have been some bloodshed, but it was necessary. And here is the proof, that even the West - who are the biggest critics of what we are doing - even the West, the United States and the U.K. have now come onboard, said Ahmed.
