Global drive grows against Islamic State, with promises of airstrikes but no ground troops

France's President Francois Hollande, left, talks with Iraqi counterpart Fouad Massoum ahead of a conference with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, French President Francois Hollande and diplomats from around the world, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Monday, Sept. 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) (The Associated Press)

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French President Francois Hollande, second right, discusses with his Iraqi counterpart Fouad Massoum, second left, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Monday, Sept. 15 2014. Reconnaissance planes at the ready, Hollande said there was "no time to lose" in the global push to combat extremists from the Islamic State group, minus the two countries who share most of Iraq's borders. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent, Pool) (The Associated Press)

France's President Francois Hollande, left, welcomes his Iraqi counterpart Fouad Massoum, ahead of a conference with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and diplomats from around the world, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Monday, Sept. 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) (The Associated Press)

PARIS – Reconnaissance planes at the ready, France called together diplomats to come up with a coherent global strategy Monday to combat extremists from the Islamic State group, minus the two countries who share most of Iraq's borders.

With memories of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq still fresh, the U.S. has so far been alone in carrying out airstrikes and no country has offered ground troops. But French reconnaissance jets were prepared to take off Monday, a French official said.

An American official said several Arab countries had offered to conduct airstrikes. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issues.

French President Francois Hollande says: "The terrorist threat is global and the response must be global,"