By Associated Press and Reuters and Damien Gayle for MailOnline America and its allies must extend the campaign against the Islamic State into Syria, say U.S. military officials. The U.S. has so far restricted its military action to Iraq, but there are concerns the action against the terror group will not be effective while it still has safe havens across the border. U.S. Army General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at the Pentagon last night that the current strategy can only contain Islamic State, not defeat it. Scroll down for video 'We're looking at all the options': U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, left, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey speak to the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon
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Islamic State cannot be defeated while it has safe havens in Syria, says U.S.
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Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP says West needs to work with Bashar Assad of Syria
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'Islamic State are beyond anything we have seen,' says Chuck Hagel
But analysts have said Syrians opposed to the @placeholder's government have been left with a deep sense of bitterness at the apparent change in approach to the regime, which is accused of a range of human rights abuses in its attempts to defeat rebels and win the civil war.