US faces Arab reluctance in Islamic State fight

BEIRUT (AP) — Stitching together a broad coalition to tackle the extremist Islamic State group hinges on overcoming the reluctance of U.S. allies in the Middle East who are deeply frustrated with a White House they believe has been naive and weak on Syria’s civil war.

Key Sunni Arab states, Saudi Arabia chief among them, have wanted the U.S. to do more to provide robust support to mainstream Syrian rebels in their war against President Bashar Assad. The result is hesitation to answer President Barack Obama’s call for a regional front against the Islamic State group, even though it is widely reviled.