Obama, Putin and Rouhani can deal IS out

Obviously, since the pain is better known by the countries in the region, better they can form coalition, and accept to shoulder the responsibility of leadership to counter violence and terrorism. And if other nations wish to take action against terrorism, they must come to their support.

I warn that if we do not muster all our strengths against extremism and violence today, and fail to entrust the job to the people in the region who can deliver, tomorrow the world will be safe for no one.

Boris Kalyagin - international journalist and professor at Moscow's Higher School of Economics - told Pravda.Ru on 23 September:

We believe that no decision related to such major international questions as the struggle against aggressors, particularly terrorist regimes, can be taken without a UN resolution. The United States has repeatedly demonstrated that it takes actions bypassing UN decisions, that's why they want to deprive us of our voice, to feel like masters at the Security Council.

Russia and Iran's ground rules are very clear - if Obama wants to degrade and destroy IS he needs to act under the authority of a Security Council Resolution passed under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.

America and Russia dealt with the issue of destroying Syria's chemical weapons stockpile by navigating Resolution 2118 through the UN Security Council - preventing threatened air strikes by America on Syria to degrade its chemical weapons.

That resolution weakened Assad's position - but nevertheless Assad understood that was the price he had to pay for Russia and Iran's continuing support.

Two Security Council Resolutions condemning some activities of IS - 2170 and 2178 - have already received American and Russian backing.

They have been inadequate however to stop IS and the Al-Nusrah Front in their tracks.

Withdrawal of American plans to train moderate rebels to destroy IS in Syria whilst assisting them to overthrow Assad - at best a mindless pipe dream – can be ended by America and Russia jointly procuring the passage of a Security Council resolution:

1. Deploring the illegal acquisition by IS and the Al-Nusrah Front of parts of the sovereign territory of Syria and Iraq.
2. Condemning their cruel and inhumane conduct in murdering civilians and displacing entire communities in Syria and Iraq
3. Calling on them to surrender control over those parts of Syria and Iraq occupied by them to a duly constituted United Nations Force within 72 hours.
4. Reserving the right to take such further action as it considers fit in the event of non-compliance

Obama, Putin and Rouhani have their problems with other pressing issues - Ukraine and nuclear weapons.

On the IS and Al-Nusrah Front their national interests are identical.

The UN Security Council stands ready to help them cut a deal.