US considers expanded airstrikes in Syria

U.S. officials on Tuesday refused to close the door on whether forces could target Jabhat al-Nusra after the al Qaeda affiliate defeated two U.S.-backed moderate rebel groups in northern Syria.

{mosads}”I can say that as a general matter, the United States remains concerned about all threats emanating from Syria, including the threat that’s posed from by the Nusra Front,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said at a briefing, using the English name for the group.

“We’re watching it very closely, we’re not unmindful of the violence, and deep-seated tension between these groups … but I would not get ahead of decisions that haven’t been made,” added Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby at a Pentagon briefing later.

Reports over the weekend said Jabhat al-Nusra is now poised to take over a vital corridor, called the Bab al-Hawa crossing, on the border with Turkey that is used to supply those groups with military and humanitarian aid.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the U.S. considering bombing the group after reports over the weekend that it had defeated two moderate rebel groups in northern Syria, the Syrian Revolutionary Front and Harakat Haz, both of which have received training and arms from the U.S.

U.S. officials said Monday they were assessing those reports as well as what U.S.-provided weapons may have fallen into Jabhat al-Nusra’s hands. Kirby said Tuesday that the group did gain ground.

So far, the U.S. and a coalition of partners have only targeted the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the Khorasan Group — a contingent of veteran al Qaeda operatives in Syria. Expanding airstrikes to Jabhat al-Nusra would be an expansion of the military campaign.

Although Jabhat al-Nusra is seen as a rival extremist group to ISIS, as well as a threat to the moderate opposition fighters, the U.S. has only been focusing airstrikes on ISIS, angering moderate groups who claim both Jabhat al-Nusra, and the Syrian regime are making gains against them.

On Monday, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Jabhat al-Nusra’s gains showed that the U.S. strategy against ISIS has been a “disaster.” He favors providing more support to moderate opposition rebels and protecting them against Jabhat al Nusra, as well as the Assad regime.

“Much of the president’s stated strategy relies heavily on having a local force on the ground capable of fighting ISIS. Yet despite vocal support for moderate opposition fighters in Syria, the administration has continuously failed to match its actions with its rhetoric, providing little meaningful support to those fighting and dying in the battle against ISIS,” McCain said.

“Applying a half-hearted bombing campaign without seriously undertaking complementary efforts to train and assist local forces and protect civilians in Syria is simply doomed to fail,” McCain said.