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 But Obama did not hint any changes to what he saw as long-term
strategy that would see ups and downs in the months ahead, even as
pressure builds for the coalition to stop the Islamic State from
taking control of more territory.
"This is going to be a long-term campaign," Obama told the defense
chiefs during a meeting at Andrews Air Force Base, outside
Washington.
He spoke after U.S.-led air strikes had pounded Islamic State
targets around Kobani near the Turkish border, where Kurdish
fighters are struggling to repel an onslaught by the radical
Islamist group.
He said at this point there was a focus on the fighting in Anbar,
adding: "And we're deeply concerned about the situation in and
around the Syrian town of Kobani, which underscores the threat that
ISIL poses in both Iraq and Syria." He used an alternative acronym
for the group.
U.S. troops had battled hard to secure Anbar against al Qaeda
militants during the Iraq war but it is now at risk of being taken
over by Islamic State militants.
"Coalition air strikes will continue in both of these areas," Obama
said.
The meeting of military chiefs from 22 countries included
representatives from Turkey and Saudi Arabia and was led by General
Martin Dempsey, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A U.S. military official told Reuters after the talks that there was
an acknowledgement that the Islamic State was making some gains on
the ground, despite the air strikes. But there was also a sense that
the coalition, working together, would ultimately prevail, the
official said.
"In the short term, there are some gains that they have been able to
make. In the long term, that momentum will be reversed," the
official said, adding the coalition would adjust its tactics as
Islamic State fighters increasingly blend into the population and
become harder to target.
Alistair Baskey, spokesman for the White House National Security
Council, said the meetings were "part of ongoing efforts to build
the coalition and integrate the capabilities of each country into
the broader strategy."
Obama said the campaign was still in its early stages. "There will
be days of progress and there are going to be some periods" of
setbacks, he said, but added that "our coalition is united behind
this long-term effort."
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The U.S. military announced that U.S. and Saudi planes had carried
out 21 air strikes in the last two days near Kobani, the most
intense attack yet after days of air strikes.
U.S. Central Command said the strikes on the militants' staging
areas, compounds and armed vehicles, were meant to hit supply lines
and stop reinforcements. It said the situation was fluid but the
Kurdish militia was "continuing to hold out."
The White House said representatives from Australia, Bahrain,
Belgium, Britain Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iraq,
Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United
States attended the closed meetings.
Having Turkey at the table was critical. Ankara has come under
pressure to play a more active role against Islamic State, and this
week agreed to help equip and train some Syrian armed groups
fighting the militants, as well as the Syrian government.
U.S. and Turkish officials say talks are under way between the two
countries on allowing the use of Turkish facilities for countries
engaged in the campaign against Islamic State.
(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by David Storey, David
Gregorio and Lisa Shumaker)
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