Syria, Iran slam US strategy in fighting militants

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) - Syrian and Iranian officials criticized the Obama administration today for excluding them from an international coalition coming together in the battle against the Islamic State group, while a state-run Syrian daily warned that unauthorized U.S. airstrikes on Syria may trigger the "first sparks of fire" in the region. Syria's main Western-backed opposition group, meanwhile, welcomed President Barack Obama's authorization of U.S. airstrikes targeting - for the first time - the extremists inside Syria, saying it stands "ready and willing" to partner with the international community to defeat the militants.