U.S. seeks coalition against Islamic State, but military partners not so sure

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The United States is intensifying its push to build an international campaign against Islamic State jihadist fighters in Iraq and Syria, including recruiting partners for potential joint military action, Obama administration officials said on Wednesday.

Britain and Australia are potential candidates, U.S. officials said but it's unclear how many nations will sign up.

Germany said it was in talks about possible military action against Islamic State but made clear it would not participate.

Some such as trusted ally Britain harbor bitter memories of joining the U.S.-led "coalition of the willing" in the 2003 invasion of Iraq that included troops from 38 nations.

Others such as France refused to join the action.

The claims of the existence of weapons of mass destruction which spurred the coalition to act were found to be false.

The United States, the officials said, could act alone if necessary - an escalation that would almost certainly be riskier than the current U.S. campaign in Iraq.

While Iraq's government welcomed the role of U.S. warplanes to attack the militants, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has warned that any strikes conducted without his country's permission would be considered an act of aggression, potentially plunging any U.S.-led coalition into a broader conflict with Syria.