"America leads. We are the indispensable nation. We have capacity no one else has. Our military is the best in the history of the world. And when trouble comes up anywhere in the world, they don't call Beijing. They don't call Moscow. They call us. ... when there's a typhoon in the Philippines, take a look at who's helping the Philippines deal with that situation. When there's an earthquake in Haiti, take a look at who's leading the charge and making sure Haiti can rebuild. That's how we roll. And that's what makes this America." Obama
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Oh for god's sake , could there be a clearer declaration of the neocon Jacobin creed? We are the indispensable nation? We are the world's gendarmerie? We are the world's first responders for natural disaster? If that is so, then the world needs to start paying us for our services, and as "protection money." The resentful and the marxists already believe that we are looting the world. If Obama's newfound creed is accepted by the American people "the world" will learn what real looting is like.
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"As of Friday, the coalition had carried out more than 200 strikes in Iraq and 43 in Syria, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters. The United States had done the lion's share of the bombing, although Arab states have contributed significantly. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan all participated in last week's strikes in Syria. France carried out an airstrike in Iraq earlier this month.
The American-led coalition fighting ISIS in Iraq grew by four on Friday -- including Belgium, Britain and Denmark.
The U.S. got a major boost when Prime Minster David Cameron of Britain won approval from Parliament, after describing the militants as "psychopathic terrorists who want to kill us."" CNN
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The UAE, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have a lot of aircraft and a considerable number of "stick and rudder"capable pilots, but virtually no staff planning capability for planning missions, doing bomb damage assessments, campaign planning and the like. If supported by the US air planning center in Qatar they can be useful.
Thus far, the program of bombing raids against IS has been a nuisance to them but it shows no sign of progress against IS occupation of the lands.
Unfortunately, the GCC countries have no significant ground forces that could be engaged anywhere other than on their own soil In the military trade it would be said that they have no "power projection" capability. This is mainly a question of logistics. Jordan has small but capable ground forces but also needs to protect its homeland against both internal and external Islamist threats.
All of these princely or royal states are considered by IS and other Islamists to be abominations. In the opinion of salafist groups all these countries should be incorporated into a purely theocratic entity ruled by a Caliph whose authority is god given and based on their version of Islamic law.
Many of the inhabitants of the princely and royal states sympathize with that point of view. In many ways the princely states have nurtured such potentially disloyal "citizens." They have done this by funding and authorizing teaching institutions that preach salafism.
Saudi Arabia is the most extreme example of this but there are others.
The truth is that Turkey and the US are the only countries that can play a significant role against IS. The Turks show no sign of wishing to do so. Syrian Iran are potential partners for the anti-IS war but US policy precludes a meaninful role for either.
That leaves the US alone in the field. pl
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/29/politics/isis-coalition/