Pentagon Assembles Allied Nations to Plot Out Next Stage of Islamic State Fight
Pentagon Assembles Allied Nations to Plot Out Next Stage of Islamic State Fight by Missy Ryan, Washington Post
Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter will gather defense ministers from allied nations this week to plan what officials hope will be the decisive stage in the campaign against the Islamic State, even as political upheaval and terrorist attacks strain the U.S.-led coalition battling the group.
At Wednesday’s meeting at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, Pentagon officials will present plans for upcoming battles in Iraq, where local forces are preparing to confront militants in the city of Mosul, and in Syria, where U.S.-backed fighters hope to eventually isolate militants in their de facto capital of Raqqa.
As they have in the past, senior American officials will press visiting ministers to commit additional troops and assets to the campaign, with a special focus on resources earmarked for efforts to stabilize and rebuild areas reclaimed from the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
“It’s going to be, ‘Here’s what we need,’ ” a U.S. defense official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to preview this week’s discussions. “So they can go back to their countries and start working on what they’re going to contribute.”
The discussions, which will be followed on Thursday by a larger meeting hosted by Carter and Secretary of State John F. Kerry, mark the first summit on the Islamic State since Britain’s vote to leave the European Union and the failed coup attempt in Turkey…
