Kurdish Forces are doing what they can to hold off the advancement of Islamic State militants. But top officials with the Pentagon say airstrikes alone will not be able to save the Syrian border town of Kobane. The Heat will explore the latest in the Middle East with a panel experts.

Militants with Islamic State have been making steady gains to expand their control of areas in Iraq and Syria despite intensified airstrikes by the United States-led coalition.

About 400 people have already been killed in the battle and nearly 200,000 have fled the region. The Turkish government has sent tanks and troops to its border with Syria but has not yet intervened.

ISIL has claimed responsibility for the beheadings of two American journalists and two British aid workers. The parents of 26-year-old Abdul-Rahman Kassig, who was captured in Syria last year while doing humanitarian work, fear their son will be next.

U.S. President Barack Obama has called on Muslims around the world to reject ISIL. In September, American Muslim Leaders gathered at Washington’s National Press Club and presented a scathing 17-page letter condemning the terrorist group’s actions. But should Muslims have to defend Islam or apologize for the actions of a few?

The Heat was joined by Arsalan Iftikhar, an international human rights Lawyer and founder of the website, The Muslim Guy.

The Heat also spoke with a panel of experts to discuss military and political options in the region.

* Dalia Dassa Kaye, the director of the Center for Middle East Public Policy and a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation.

* Azzam Tamimi, chairman of the London-based Alhiwar TV Channel. On Twitter: @AzzamTamimi

Joining the discussion about the fight against ISIL in Iraq and Syria is Tony Shaffer, a senior fellow with the London Center for Policy Research.