New York Times: Defense Secretary Says Anti-ISIS Coalition Has Agreed to ‘Step Up’
BRUSSELS — All but a few of the 40 countries in the coalition now fighting the Islamic State have “stepped up to do more in the last months and days,” Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said on Thursday after a meeting here with defense ministers from the group.
Mr. Carter said 90 percent of the countries had made pledges, but he did not offer many specifics on what the contributions would be. It also remained unclear what effect any new assistance would have on the battlefield, or even how many ministers would be able to deliver on their commitments.
“There’s just a great deal going on,” Mr. Carter said at a news conference after the meeting. He added that he was “happy to see so much going on” but that “we’re also impatient.”
“We want the pace to accelerate,” he said.
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Update: U.S. says wins Saudi air campaign commitment against Islamic State (Reuters)
WNU Editor: No word yet on how the just announced Syrian ceasefire may change this coalition commitment to fight the Islamic State .... but I suspect that it will not impede the campaign to defeat ISIS.