Obama: Turkey has the right to defend itself and its airspace

Obama just returned to Washington on Monday after a trip to Turkey, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Even though that France and the USA have been an ally for a very long time now, the relations between the two countries may never have been stronger because of the ISIS crisis.

Calling ISIS a “scourge” that “must be defeated”, Obama said the us stood with France after the brutal massacre in Paris.

“We like the French” for their “mindset” their “culture” and “verve”, said Mr. Obama, at a joint press conference with Hollande.

“Militarily, it is about destroying Daesh (IS) no matter where they are”.

Someone has suggested that the president “intentionally” said “Daesh AND ISIL”.

In August 2014, the coalition led by the United States began air strikes against ISIL targets in Iraq, and from September in Syria, against the will of this latter country’s authorities.

The two major players, Russian Federation and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, have taken different positions on conducting the fight.

Hollande’s trip to Washington is part of a diplomatic push to get the worldwide community to bolster the campaign against the Islamic State, the militant group that has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks.

Shortly after the incident, Obama who was hosting visiting French President Francois Hollande, reiterated his support for the Turkish military’s decision.

Hollande said he would bring that message to Moscow, where he is to meet with Putin later this week. “We don’t want to exclude anyone”. Last week, Hollande called for the US and Russian Federation to set aside their policy divisions over Syria and “fight this terrorist army in a broad, single coalition”. Western nations insist Assad needs to step down for peace to take hold in Syria. “There is a new mindset now”, Hollande said.

“As Francois (Hollande) indicated, my top priority is going to be to ensure that this does not escalate”.

US officials said they did not dispute Syrian human rights activists’ allegations that Russian bombs and missiles have hit mosques, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure, killing hundreds of people.

Obama said: “Turkey, like every country, has a right to defend its territory and its air space”, adding he expected to speak to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in coming days.

Earlier Tuesday, a Russian Su-24 crashed in Syria allegedly because of gunfire from the ground, Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed Defense Ministry official as saying.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says a clear and precise analysis is needed of Turkey’s shooting down of a Russian military jet on the Syrian border.

Obama and Hollande joined UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in warning against any escalation. “That would be extremely damaging”.

“They were in accord on the importance of de-escalating tensions and making arrangements to prevent a repeat of such incidents”, the Turkish presidency said in a statement following telephone talks between the two leaders. The terrorist group is blamed for the November 13 attack in Paris that killed 130 people and wounded hundreds more at restaurants, a concert venue and outside a soccer stadium.