UNITED NATIONS — For an undertaking so fraught with sectarian tensions and regional rivalries, the U.S.-led air campaign against Islamist extremists in Syria was a diplomatic feat for its inclusion of five Sunni Muslim states that traditionally are skittish about bombing in the neighborhood, foreign policy analysts said Tuesday.

The joint foray against the Islamic State in Syria muted critics at home, who doubted President Barack Obama’s coalition-building skills, and offered important diplomatic cover in the Middle East by enlisting the Sunni monarchies who’ve been most vocal in blaming U.S. inaction for the nonstop bloodshed since the rebellion against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime began in 2011.

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