Obama speaks to Saudi king ahead of IS speech

US president gathers Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, other leaders in Oval Office

By AFP 10 September 2014, 11:40 pm
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Barack Obama speaking to House Speaker John Boehner from the Oval Office Saturday as Joe Biden looks on. (photo credit: Pete Souza/ Official White House)
Barack Obama speaking to House Speaker John Boehner from the Oval Office Saturday as Joe Biden looks on. (photo credit: Pete Souza/ Official White House)

US President Barack Obama spoke by phone with Saudi King Abdullah on Wednesday and met his top national security and intelligence advisors ahead of his prime time speech on the Islamic State.

Obama called Abdullah from the Oval Office, underlining Saudi Arabia’s role as a potentially key member of the international coalition Obama is trying to build to take on the jihadist group.

The call preceded his speech to the nation at 9 p.m. (0100 GMT Thursday) about his new strategy to take on Islamic State and came ahead of a planned visit to Saudi Arabia by Secretary of State John Kerry.

Obama also gathered what is effectively his war cabinet in the secure Situation Room of the White House. The meeting included Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, senior leaders of the military and the chiefs of US intelligence agencies.

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