The Obama Administration is predicting that the US will have allies joining in when and if airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria are to begin.  But US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power did not specify which countries will take part.

“It will be up to each country to announce for itself whether it’s prepared to participate, whether in a combat role or to provide military equipment,” Power said on a Sunday morning news program.  The US commenced airstrikes against IS targets in Iraq last month, with France joining in late last week.  Australia plans to concentrate on the fight in Iraq, while freezing assets related to IS and other jihadist groups in Syria.

US President Barack Obama will appear before the Untied Nations this week to try and drum up more support for taking on Islamic State in Syria.  In preparation for that, foreign ministers including Australia’s Julie Bishop met at the UN and issued a statement saying the current US-led action was different that the 2003 Iraq War and did not require a UN resolution.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has a much different view.  Lavrov’s ministry issued a statement saying the US-led operation against IS must “comply with the United Nations statute, norms of international law and unconditional respect of Syrian sovereignty during the fulfillment of plans by the U.S.-led coalition, which includes the use of force.”