Many Americans want US and Assad to join forces against ISIL: Analyst

Many Americans now want the United States and the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to join forces in the fight against the ISIL terrorist group, a foreign policy expert in Washington says.

James George Jatras, former US Senate foreign policy analyst, made the remarks in a phone interview with Press TV on Monday while commenting on ex-US Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ criticism of President Barack Obama's “unrealistic” strategy against ISIL.

Gates, who served as Pentagon chief under Obama and former President George W. Bush, said defeating the terrorist group without boots on the ground is an “unattainable objective”.

“I think there is a broad understanding that, of course, there have to be some ground components to any military action against the Islamic State,” said Jatras - using the name which the Takfiri group itself (and some Western media outlets) prefer.

“The trouble is whose ground forces? I think there will be very few people here in the United States who would disagree that the American ground forces should be involved in something like this,” he added.

“I think more obvious question is who are the local actors, that are on the ground, that are also fighting against ISIL?” he stated.

“I think the number one component is the Syrian government forces. And you are beginning to hear some more voices here in the United States that are saying we need to reach a deal with the Assad government, so there is a united effort against the Islamic State,” the analyst noted.

“But we are not there yet; still the administration is undertaking the mirage that there are so-called moderates that are anti-government and anti-Islamic State, and that is simply not a viable path,” Jatras emphasized.  

The ISIL terrorists, who were initially trained by the CIA in Jordan in 2012 to destabilize the Syrian government, are engaged in crimes against humanity in the areas under their control.

They have been carrying out horrific acts of violence such as public decapitations and crucifixions against all communities, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, and Christians.

The US military says it planning to deploy about 1,000 troops to train “moderate” militants in Syria to combat ISIL terrorists.

The Pentagon announced last month that the training is expected to begin in the "early spring" and will take place in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar.

Since late September, the US and some of its Arab allies have been carrying out airstrikes against ISIL inside Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate.

The US-led coalition has done little to stop ISIL's advances in Syria.

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