European countries join coalition fighting in Iraq

Britain, Denmark, Belgium commit to military campaign

beirut » American warplanes and drones hit Islamic State tanks, Humvees, checkpoints and bunkers in airstrikes Friday targeting the extremists in Syria and Iraq, as the U.S.-led coalition expanded to include Britain, Denmark and Belgium.

The European countries committed to take part only in the Iraq part of the military campaign, leaving the operation in Syria to the United States and five Arab allies who began conducting airstrikes thereTuesday.

Still, the broadening of the coalition provides awelcome boost for President Barack Obama and the American-led campaign.

The U.S.-led operation aims to roll back and ultimately crush the Islamic State group, which has carved out a proto-state stretching from Syria’s northern border with Tur- key to the outskirts of Baghdad. The militants have employed brute force to achieve their goals, massacring captured Syrian and Iraqi troops, terrorizing minorities in both countries and beheading two American journalists and a British aidworker.

While striking fear into its opponents, the Islamic State group’s tactics have also galvanized the international community to move against the extremists. France has already joined the U.S.-led effort in Iraq and is considering expanding its role to Syria. TheNetherlands, too, has said itwould take part in the bombing campaign in Iraq.

Denmark, Belgium and Britain all signed on as well Friday. Denmark said it would send seven F-16 fighter jets and 250 pilots and support staff, while Belgium will contribute six F-16s that are en route to Jordan so they can go into action as early as Saturday.

“No one should be ducking in this case,” said Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt. “Everyone should contribute.”

British lawmakers also voted Friday to join the coalition. London is expected to deployTornado fighters, which are inCyprus — within striking distance of northern Iraq.

“This is about psychopathic terrorists that are trying to kill us, andwe do have to realize that, whether we like it or not, they have already declared war on us,” Prime Minister David Cameron said to a tense House of Commons in a more than six-hour debate. “There isn’t a ‘walk on by’ option. There isn’t an option of just hoping this will go away.”

The European contingent will join a campaign that has carried out hundreds of airstrikes, the latest ofwhich hit Islamic State positions in both Iraq and Syria lateThurs-