Exclusive: Obama, aides expected to weigh Syria military options on FridayWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and his top foreign policy advisers are expected to meet on Friday to consider their military and other options in Syria as Syrian and Russian aircraft continue to pummel Aleppo and other targets, U.S. officials said. Some top officials argue the United States must act more forcefully in Syria or risk losing what influence it still has over moderate rebels and its Arab, Kurdish and Turkish allies in the fight against Islamic State, the officials told Reuters. One set of options includes direct U.S. military action such as air strikes on Syrian military bases, munitions depots or radar and anti-aircraft bases, said one official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. This official said one danger of such action is that Russian and Syrian forces are often co-mingled, raising the possibility of a direct confrontation with Russia that Obama has been at pains to avoid. U.S. officials said they consider it unlikely that Obama will order U.S. air strikes on Syrian government targets, and they stressed that he may not make any decisions at the planned meeting of his National Security Council.     One alternative, U.S. officials said, is allowing allies to provide U.S.-vetted rebels with more sophisticated weapons, although not shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, which Washington fears could be used against Western airliners. The White House declined to comment. Friday’s planned meeting is the latest in a long series of internal debates about what, if anything, to do to end a 5-1/2 year civil war that has killed at least 300,000 people and displaced half the country’s population. The ultimate aim of any new action could be to bolster the battered moderate rebels so they can weather what is now widely seen as the inevitable fall of rebel-held eastern Aleppo to the forces of Russian- and Iranian-backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It also might temper a sense of betrayal among moderate rebels who feel Obama encouraged their uprising by calling for Assad to go but then abandoned them, failing even to enforce his own “red line” against Syria’s use of chemical weapons. This, in turn, might deter them from migrating to Islamist groups such as the Nusra Front, which the United States regards as Syria’s al Qaeda branch. The group in July said it had cut ties to al Qaeda and changed its name to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham. ANOTHER TRY AT DIPLOMACY The U.S. and Russian foreign ministers will meet in Lausanne, Switzerland on Saturday to resume their failed effort to find a diplomatic solution, possibly joined by their counterparts from Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iran, but  U.S. officials voiced little hope for success. Friday’s planned meeting at the White House and the session in Lausanne occur as Obama, with just 100 days left in office, faces other decisions about whether to deepen U.S. military involvement in the Middle East — notably in Yemen and Iraq — a stance he opposed when he won the White House in 2008. Earlier Thursday the United States launched cruise missiles  at three coastal radar sites in areas of Yemen controlled by Iran-aligned Houthi forces, retaliating after failed missile attacks this week on a U.S. Navy destroyer, U.S. officials said. In Iraq, U.S. officials are debating whether government forces will need more U.S. support both during and after their campaign to retake Mosul, Islamic State’s de facto capital in the country.  Some officials argue the Iraqis now cannot retake the city without significant help from Kurdish peshmerga forces, as well as Sunni and Shi’ite militias, and that their participation could trigger religious and ethnic conflict in the city.          In Syria, Washington has turned to the question of whether to take military action after its latest effort to broker a truce with Russia collapsed last month. The United States has called for Assad to step down, but for years has seemed resigned to his remaining in control of parts of the country as it prosecutes a separate fight against Islamic State militants in Syria and in Iraq. The U.S. policy is to target Islamic State first, a decision that has opened it to charges that it is doing nothing to prevent the humanitarian catastrophe in Syria and particularly in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city. Renewed bombing of rebel-held eastern Aleppo has killed more than 150 people this week, rescue workers said, as Syria intensifies its Russian-backed offensive to take the whole city. Anthony Cordesman of Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank suggested the United States’ failure to act earlier in Syria, and in Aleppo in particular, had narrowed Obama’s options. “There is only so long you can ignore your options before you don’t have any,” Cordesman said. politicsNews
exclusive obama aides expected weigh syria military options fridaywashington reuters president barack obama top foreign policy advisers expected meet friday consider military options syria syrian russian aircraft continue pommel aleppo targets officials said some top officials argue united states must act forcefully syria risk losing influence still moderate rebels arab kurdish turkish allies fight islamic state officials told reuters one set options includes direct military action air strikes syrian military bases munitions depots radar bases said one official spoke condition anonymity discuss internal deliberations this official said one danger action russian syrian forces often raising possibility direct confrontation russia obama pains avoid officials said consider unlikely obama order air strikes syrian government targets stressed may make decisions planned meeting national security council one alternative officials said allowing allies provide rebels sophisticated weapons although missiles washington fears could used western airliners the white house declined comment friday planned meeting latest long series internal debates anything end year civil war killed least people displaced half country population the ultimate aim new action could bolster battered moderate rebels weather widely seen inevitable fall eastern aleppo forces syrian president basal it also might temper sense betrayal among moderate rebels feel obama encouraged uprising calling assad go abandoned failing even enforce red line syria use chemical weapons this turn might deter migrating islamic groups usa front united states regards syria al qaeda branch the group july said cut ties al qaeda changed name sabha fatal another try at diplomacy the russian foreign ministers meet lausanne switzerland saturday resume failed effort find diplomatic solution possibly joined counterparts turkey qatar saudi arabia iran officials voiced little hope success friday planned meeting white house session lausanne occur obama days left office faces decisions whether deepen military involvement middle east notably yemen iraq stance opposed white house earlier thursday united states launched cruise missiles three coastal radar sites areas yemen controlled south forces retaliation failed missile attacks week navy destroyer officials said in iraq officials debating whether government forces need support campaign retake mosul islamic state de facto capital country some officials argue iraqi retake city without significant help kurdish peshmerga forces well sunny shi ite militias participation could trigger religious ethnic conflict city in syria washington turned question whether take military action latest effort broker truce russia collapsed last month the united states called assad step years seemed resigned remaining control parts country prosecuted separate fight islamic state militants syria iraq the policy target islamic state first decision opened charges nothing prevent humanitarian catastrophe syria particularly aleppo syria largest city renewed bombing eastern aleppo killed people week rescue workers said syria intensifies offensive take whole city anthony cordesman washington center strategic international studies think tank suggested united states failure act earlier syria aleppo particular narrowed obama options there long ignore options cordesman said politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Exclusive: Obama, aides expected to weigh Syria military options on FridayWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and his top foreign policy advisers are expected to meet on Friday to consider their military and other options in Syria as Syrian and Russian aircraft continue to pummel Aleppo and other targets, U.S. officials said. Some top officials argue the United States must act more forcefully in Syria or risk losing what influence it still has over moderate rebels and its Arab, Kurdish and Turkish allies in the fight against Islamic State, the officials told Reuters. One set of options includes direct U.S. military action such as air strikes on Syrian military bases, munitions depots or radar and anti-aircraft bases, said one official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. This official said one danger of such action is that Russian and Syrian forces are often co-mingled, raising the possibility of a direct confrontation with Russia that Obama has been at pains to avoid. U.S. officials said they consider it unlikely that Obama will order U.S. air strikes on Syrian government targets, and they stressed that he may not make any decisions at the planned meeting of his National Security Council.     One alternative, U.S. officials said, is allowing allies to provide U.S.-vetted rebels with more sophisticated weapons, although not shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, which Washington fears could be used against Western airliners. The White House declined to comment. Friday’s planned meeting is the latest in a long series of internal debates about what, if anything, to do to end a 5-1/2 year civil war that has killed at least 300,000 people and displaced half the country’s population. The ultimate aim of any new action could be to bolster the battered moderate rebels so they can weather what is now widely seen as the inevitable fall of rebel-held eastern Aleppo to the forces of Russian- and Iranian-backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It also might temper a sense of betrayal among moderate rebels who feel Obama encouraged their uprising by calling for Assad to go but then abandoned them, failing even to enforce his own “red line” against Syria’s use of chemical weapons. This, in turn, might deter them from migrating to Islamist groups such as the Nusra Front, which the United States regards as Syria’s al Qaeda branch. The group in July said it had cut ties to al Qaeda and changed its name to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham. ANOTHER TRY AT DIPLOMACY The U.S. and Russian foreign ministers will meet in Lausanne, Switzerland on Saturday to resume their failed effort to find a diplomatic solution, possibly joined by their counterparts from Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iran, but  U.S. officials voiced little hope for success. Friday’s planned meeting at the White House and the session in Lausanne occur as Obama, with just 100 days left in office, faces other decisions about whether to deepen U.S. military involvement in the Middle East — notably in Yemen and Iraq — a stance he opposed when he won the White House in 2008. Earlier Thursday the United States launched cruise missiles  at three coastal radar sites in areas of Yemen controlled by Iran-aligned Houthi forces, retaliating after failed missile attacks this week on a U.S. Navy destroyer, U.S. officials said. In Iraq, U.S. officials are debating whether government forces will need more U.S. support both during and after their campaign to retake Mosul, Islamic State’s de facto capital in the country.  Some officials argue the Iraqis now cannot retake the city without significant help from Kurdish peshmerga forces, as well as Sunni and Shi’ite militias, and that their participation could trigger religious and ethnic conflict in the city.          In Syria, Washington has turned to the question of whether to take military action after its latest effort to broker a truce with Russia collapsed last month. The United States has called for Assad to step down, but for years has seemed resigned to his remaining in control of parts of the country as it prosecutes a separate fight against Islamic State militants in Syria and in Iraq. The U.S. policy is to target Islamic State first, a decision that has opened it to charges that it is doing nothing to prevent the humanitarian catastrophe in Syria and particularly in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city. Renewed bombing of rebel-held eastern Aleppo has killed more than 150 people this week, rescue workers said, as Syria intensifies its Russian-backed offensive to take the whole city. Anthony Cordesman of Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank suggested the United States’ failure to act earlier in Syria, and in Aleppo in particular, had narrowed Obama’s options. “There is only so long you can ignore your options before you don’t have any,” Cordesman said. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: exclusive obama aides expected weigh syria military options fridaywashington reuters president barack obama top foreign policy advisers expected meet friday consider military options syria syrian russian aircraft continue pommel aleppo targets officials said some top officials argue united states must act forcefully syria risk losing influence still moderate rebels arab kurdish turkish allies fight islamic state officials told reuters one set options includes direct military action air strikes syrian military bases munitions depots radar bases said one official spoke condition anonymity discuss internal deliberations this official said one danger action russian syrian forces often raising possibility direct confrontation russia obama pains avoid officials said consider unlikely obama order air strikes syrian government targets stressed may make decisions planned meeting national security council one alternative officials said allowing allies provide rebels sophisticated weapons although missiles washington fears could used western airliners the white house declined comment friday planned meeting latest long series internal debates anything end year civil war killed least people displaced half country population the ultimate aim new action could bolster battered moderate rebels weather widely seen inevitable fall eastern aleppo forces syrian president basal it also might temper sense betrayal among moderate rebels feel obama encouraged uprising calling assad go abandoned failing even enforce red line syria use chemical weapons this turn might deter migrating islamic groups usa front united states regards syria al qaeda branch the group july said cut ties al qaeda changed name sabha fatal another try at diplomacy the russian foreign ministers meet lausanne switzerland saturday resume failed effort find diplomatic solution possibly joined counterparts turkey qatar saudi arabia iran officials voiced little hope success friday planned meeting white house session lausanne occur obama days left office faces decisions whether deepen military involvement middle east notably yemen iraq stance opposed white house earlier thursday united states launched cruise missiles three coastal radar sites areas yemen controlled south forces retaliation failed missile attacks week navy destroyer officials said in iraq officials debating whether government forces need support campaign retake mosul islamic state de facto capital country some officials argue iraqi retake city without significant help kurdish peshmerga forces well sunny shi ite militias participation could trigger religious ethnic conflict city in syria washington turned question whether take military action latest effort broker truce russia collapsed last month the united states called assad step years seemed resigned remaining control parts country prosecuted separate fight islamic state militants syria iraq the policy target islamic state first decision opened charges nothing prevent humanitarian catastrophe syria particularly aleppo syria largest city renewed bombing eastern aleppo killed people week rescue workers said syria intensifies offensive take whole city anthony cordesman washington center strategic international studies think tank suggested united states failure act earlier syria aleppo particular narrowed obama options there long ignore options cordesman said politicsnews