ABC quotes Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Fellow Ramzy Mardini on US efforts to form a regional coalition to combat the growing threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham:
“Because of American leadership, we have, I believe, a broad-based coalition internationally and regionally to be able to deal with the problem,” Obama said.
But that comment doesn’t take into account some of the tough realities Arab nations present. For example, some Arab governments, for domestic political reasons, are wary of being seen as following America’s lead, said Ramzy Mardini, a fellow with the Atlantic Council.
“It makes it a Western initiative, hence joining that effort makes them look like puppets of the West,” Mardini told ABC News via email. “Take this as a rule of thumb — the less Western a military coalition is, the better when you’re operating in the Middle East. That ought to be common sense by now.”