Obama administration: US 'will protect' Syrian rebel forces
John Allen, US special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, suggests a deeper US military commitment in Syria; Turkey’s "precious loneliness"; Egypt closes 27,000 places of worship to counter militancy and extremism; Al-Monitor’s series on Women in the Middle East continues.
Allen: no-fly zone "under consideration"
The US special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL said on March 2 that the United States “will protect” Syrian rebel fighters trained and equipped by the United States, adding that a US-enforced no-fly zone or protected corridor is “under consideration,” as reported by Barbara Slavin for Al-Monitor.
The remarks by retired Marine Gen. John Allen suggest a military commitment beyond what is proposed by the Barack Obama administration’s draft authorization to use military force, which is presently before Congress, and may give new life to Turkey’s bid to draw the United States into military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Turkey has sought a no-fly zone in Syria as a buffer against the growing number of Syrian refugees in Turkey (expected to reach 1.7 million this year) and as a base for Syrian armed opposition forces to operate against the Syrian government, as well as against the Islamic State (IS).
