In such a divided context, the alliance of “moderates” created by US President Barack Obama to defeat the Islamic State – a group that includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates – is weak at best. A multicultural coalition is probably a requirement of legitimate military action in the Middle East; the dilemma is that unless Obama’s regional coalition broadens considerably, his current allies’ enthusiasm for US military intervention is likely to diminish quickly.
在如此分裂的环境中，美国总统奥巴马为击败伊斯兰国而建立的“温和派”联盟——一个包括沙特阿拉伯、卡塔尔和阿联酋在内的集团——是相当脆弱的。跨文化联盟也许是中东合法军事行动的先决条件；困难在于，除非奥巴马的地区联盟得到显著扩大，否则当前盟友对美国军事干预的热情也许很快就会消退。