The Guardian quotes Rafik Hariri Center Senior Fellow Frederic Hof on efforts to build a regional coalition to combat the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham:
However, the appointment of Gen Allen was widely welcomed, including by administration sceptics like Frederic Hof, the former State Department special adviser on Syria now with the Rafik Hariri Center in Washington, who had questioned whether Mr Obama was really serious about arming Syrian rebels.
“His record in Iraq and Afghanistan speaks for itself,” Ambassador Hof told the Telegraph of Gen Allen, who was a deputy commander during the “awakening” against the Sunni insurgency in Iraq in 2006-2007.
“His appointment is a good indication that this operation will not be micromanaged by the White House and will be something far beyond an exercise in strategic communication,” he added.