23 January 2016

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said that the U.S. was prepared for a military solution in Syria if a political solution was not possible, according to Al-Arabia news, Jan. 23rd, 2016.
“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, using an Arabic term for the militant group, which controls large swathes of Iraq and Syria.
The suggestion comes as Washington appears to be ramping up its rhetoric on ending the civil war, which has dragged on for over four years, and has claimed the lives of over 250,000.
 Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said following a meeting with Biden that the Turkish military was in Iraq to ward off ISIS, reiterating that Ankara respects Iraqi territorial unity.

Davutoglu thanked Biden for visiting Cyprus, adding that the United States will have an important role in Cyprus peace talks.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also said after talks with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states in Saudi Arabia that he was confident Syria peace talks would proceed.