Biden: US Ready for Military Solution in Syria

ISTANBUL — U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said on Saturday that the United States and Turkey were prepared for a military solution in Syria if a political settlement was not possible.

"We do know it would better if we can reach a political solution but we are prepared ..., if that's not possible, to have a military solution to this operation and taking out Daesh," Biden said at a news conference after a meeting with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Daesh is the pejorative Arabic acronym for Islamic State insurgents who hold parts of Syria.

Biden said he and Davutoglu also discussed how the two NATO allies could further support Sunni Arab rebel forces fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad. He said Washington recognised the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey was as much of a threat to Ankara as Islamic State, and that Ankara had to do whatever was needed to protect its people.