Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/577975
ByJuliePaceand Vladimir Isachenkov The Associated Press UNITEDNATIONS U.S.Pres- ident Barack Obama and Russian President Vladi- mir Putin sharply disagreed Monday over the chaos in Syria, with Obama urging a political transition to re- place the Syrian president but Putin warning it would be a mistake to abandon the current government. Obama and Putin's duel- ing speeches at the United Nations General Assembly summit served as a pub- lic preview of their private meeting late Monday. The sit-down marks their first face-to-face encounter in nearly a year and comes amid escalating Russian military engagement in Syria. Obama said he was open to working with Russia, as well as Iran, to bring Syr- ia's civil war to an end. He called for a "managed tran- sition" that would result in the ouster of Syrian Presi- dent Bashar Assad, whose forces have clashed with rebels for more than four years, creating a vacuum for the Islamic State and other extremist groups. "We must recognize that there cannot be, after so much bloodshed, so much carnage, a return to the prewar status quo," Obama said. Putin, however, urged the world to stick with Assad, arguing that his military is the only viable option for defeating the Islamic State. "We believe it's a huge mistake to refuse to coop- erate with the Syrian au- thorities, with the govern- ment forces, those who are bravely fighting terror face- to-face," Putin said during his first appearance at the U.N. gathering in a decade. Obama and Putin's dispa- rate views of the grim situa- tion in Syria left little indi- cation of how the two coun- tries might work together to end a conflict that has killed more than 250,000 people and resulted in a flood of refugees. The Syria crisis largely overshadowed the summit's other discussions on peace- keeping, climate change and global poverty. French President Fran- cois Hollande backed Obama's call for Assad's ouster, saying "nobody can imagine" a political solu- tion in Syria if he is still in power. Hollande called on countries with influence in Syria, including Gulf na- tions and Iran, to be en- gaged in a transition. However, Iran — which along with Russia is a strong backer of Assad — said the Syrian president must re- main in power to fight ex- tremists. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that while Syria's government needs reform, the coun- try will fall to the Islamic States if the international community makes getting rid of Assad its top goal. Despite Obama's staunch opposition to Assad re- maining in office, the U.S. has struggled to push him from power. Russia has long been a major obstacle, shielding Assad from U.N. sanctions and continuing to provide the Syrian govern- ment with weapons. In fact, Russia has ap- peared to deepen its support for Assad in recent weeks, sending additional military equipment and troops with the justification that it is helpingthegovernmentfight the Islamic State. The mili- tarybuilduphasconfounded U.S. officials, who spent the summer hoping Russia's pa- tience with Assad was wan- ing and political negotia- tions could be started. Obama and Putin each framed his case for Syr- ia's future in the context of a broader approach to the world, launching veiled crit- icisms at each other. The U.S. president con- demned nations that be- lieve "might makes right," and sought instead to high- light the benefits of diplo- macy. He touted his admin- istration's efforts to restore ties with Cuba after a half- century freeze and the com- pletion of a nuclear accord with Iran, noting that Rus- sia was a key partner in ne- gotiating the Iran deal. Putin, without naming the United States, accused Washington of trying to en- force its will on others and mulling a possible reform of theU.N.,whichhesuggested stands in the way of the per- ceived U.S. domination. "After the end of the Cold War, the single center of domination has emerged in the world," Putin said. "Those who have found themselves on top of that pyramid were tempted to think that since they are so strong and singular, they know what to do better than others and it's unnec- essary to pay any attention to the U.N. UNITED NATIONS Obama, Putin spar over Assad's role in Syria's future PHOTOSBYANDREWHARNIK—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS LEFT: President Barack Obama speaks Monday before the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. RIGHT: Russian President President Vladimir Putin holds up a glass during a toast at a luncheon hosted by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, on Monday at United Nations headquarters. By Ken Dilanian The Associated Press WASHINGTON A dedicated manhunt by the CIA, the National Security Agency and the military's Joint Special Operations Com- mand has been methodi- cally finding and killing se- nior militants in Syria and Iraq, in one of the few clear success stories of the U.S. military campaign in those countries. The drone strikes — sep- arate from the conventional bombing campaign run by U.S. Central Command — have significantly dimin- ished the threat from the Khorasan Group, an al-Qa- ida cell in Syria that had planned attacks on Amer- ican aviation, U.S. officials say. The group's leader, Muhsin al-Fadhli, and its top bomb-maker, David Drugeon, were killed this past summer. Other targeted strikes have taken out senior Is- lamic State group figures, including its second in com- mand, known as Hajji Mu- tazz. In an effort that ramped up over the last year, intel- ligence analysts and spe- cial operators have har- nessed an array of satel- lites, sensors, drones and other technology to track and kill elusive militants across a vast, rugged area of Syria and Iraq, overcom- ing the lack of a significant U.S. ground presence and the awareness by U.S. tar- gets that they can be found through their use of elec- tronic devices. The strikes won't defeat the Islamic State, but they are keeping its leadership off balance, a senior defense official involved in planning them said. "They are constantly hav- ing to adjust, which means they don't have a lot of time to sit there and plan large and effective attacks," the official said. Like others interviewed for this story, the official was not authorized to dis- cuss intelligence matters publicly and would not be quoted by name. With no regular Ameri- can presence in the war the- ater, U.S. intelligence agen- cies have struggled to deter- mine ground truths about the situation in Syria and Iraq, including the number of Islamic State fighters. The U.S.-led bombing cam- paign has failed to dislodge the group from its self-de- clared caliphate across both countries. But the drone strikes against militant leader- ship targets in Iraq and Syria show how the U.S. has upped its manhunting prowess in areas without an American embassy or troop presence, said Rep. Adam Schiff of California, senior Democrat on the In- telligence Committee. As in Pakistan and Ye- men, missiles fired from un- manned drones have been the weapons of choice to kill high-value targets in Syria and Iraq. But unlike in Pak- istan and Yemen, JSOC, not the CIA, has been pull- ing the trigger in Syria and Iraq, officials say. JSOC's armed drones operate sep- arately from, but in concert with, a conventional bomb- ing campaign run by U.S. Central Command, which has overall responsibility for the war. The CIA's Counter Ter- rorism Center brought its collection and analytical expertise to the hunt for senior militants in close cooperation with JSOC, officials say, with a new fo- cus on achieving a hybrid model that has long been the Obama administration's goal. Although the CIA has carried out the vast major- ity of drone strikes dur- ing the Obama administra- tion, the president has said he wants the military to be- come the chief instrument of targeted lethal force. In the latest strike on Sept. 10, the U.S. killed Abu Bakr al-Turkmani, an Islamic State administra- tive officer, near Tal Afar, Iraq, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said. Abu Rahin Aziz, a British national, was killed in a drone strike in July. The CIA began step- ping up efforts to profile militants in Syria in early 2013, even before the Is- lamic State had seized sig- nificant territory. But over the last year, its tracking ca- pacity has improved as the Pentagon has deployed 24- hour overhead coverage al- lowing the NSA to soak up electronic signals while the National Geospatial-Intel- ligence Agency (NGA) con- ducts visual surveillance, of- ficials say. The CIA and De- fense Intelligence Agency have stepped up efforts to recruit human sources. INTELLIGENCE TARGETING Ra re U S su cc es s in S yr ia a nd I ra q: F in di ng a nd e lim i na ti ng s en io r mi li ta nt s YASIN AKGUL — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE People standing on the Turkish side of the border with Syria, on the outskirts of Suruc, Turkey, watch as smoke rises over Kobani, in Syria. Advertisement IfthiswasyourService Directory ad customers would be reading it right now!! Suzy 530-737-5056 Gayla 530-737-5044 For more information Landscape/Fence Steve's Tractor &LandscapeService •FenceBuilding•Landscaping • Trenching • Rototilling • Disking • Mowing • Ridging • Post Hole Digging • Blade Work • Sprinkler Installation • Concrete Work Cont. Lic. #703511 SteveDyke 385-1783 Construction Burrows Construction Remodel, New Additions, Siding Repair and Replacement, Water and Dryrot Damage Specialist, New Construction Foundation to Finish Ph:(530) 515-9779 Residential • Commerical PATIOS•DECKS REFRENCES Lic#824770 InPrintEveryTuesday-Thursday-Saturday Online: Publishes 24/7 www.redbluffdailynews.com Threeadditionalonline locations at no extra cost! Print and On-Line HOME SERVICES DIRECTORY Full Size $ 117 .50 Per Month No early cancellation, non-refundable TWO SIZES TO CHOOSE FROM Half Size $ 70 .00 Per Month Roofing Call for Estimates! Residential, Commercial & Mobiles www.harbertroofing.com HARBERT ROOFING, INC. 530-223-3251 Lic# 696974 Time To Roof? Blinds Need Blinds? C A L L P A U L 527-0842 North State Blinds & Draperies www.nsbd.biz Lic.#906022 Paul Stubbs Lawn Service (530) 566-7951 ★ LAWN SERVICE ★ WEED EATING ★ HEADING ★ GUTTER CLEANING ★ FULL TREE SERVICE ★ FIRE BREAKS ScottWest HONEST& DEPENDABLE Green again landscaping Tractor Service Tractor Service DennisConner Tractor and Weed Control Dennis Conner Owner/Operator (530) 200-1040 Rotary and Flail Mowing Chemical Sprayer, Weed Control, Float and Box Scraper, Leveling Field Clearing and Maintenance Ag certified/Insured Construction A ll en s C on s tr uc t i on FREE ESTIMATES 530 949-6162 CA LIC#914460 Concrete J. E. C. Jim England Concrete & Consturction Sidewalk • Driveways Decorative & Stamped Concrete Backhoe/Dumptruck • Tractor Service Takeout & Replacement (530) 945-8295 Lic#682190 House Cleaning • General house cleaning • Windows • New construction clean-up • Garage cleaning 20 Years Experience 530-526-6628 Renee's House Cleaning Service Creative Landscape 529-LAWN-5296 • No Guilt Watering • Xeriscape Design and Installation Experts • Beautiful Landscape With Less Water • Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor • Landscape Coaching Consultants • Landscape Design and Installation Lic. #788453 CreativeLandscapingDesign Advertisement If this was your Service Directory ad customers would be reading it right now!! For Suzy 530-737-5056 For Gayla 530-737-5044 For more information Advertisement If this was your Service Directory ad customers would be reading it right now!! Call us at 527-2151 For more information Tree Service CROWDER TREE SPECIALIST TRIMMING • STUMP GRINDING REMOVAL • YARD CLEAN UP $50 OFF ALL SERVICES OVER $200 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE WOOD FOR SALE (530) 899-1853 FREE ESTIMATES CA.S.L.#979193 Serving you since 1947 We accept credit cards EXP. 10/31/2015 Flooring Carpet/Linoleum/VCT Tiles Installation/Restretch/Repair License #558476 Email: barryhorner_22@yahoo.com Barry Horner 530-200-3821 | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 2 D