Pentagon delivers draft plan to defeat Islamic State to White House

[webfact]

Pentagon delivers draft plan to defeat Islamic State to White House

By Idrees Ali

REUTERS

 

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis addresses a news conference during a NATO defence ministers meeting at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, February 16, 2017. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Pentagon-led preliminary plan to defeat Islamic State was delivered to the White House on Monday and U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was expected to brief senior administration officials, a Defense Department spokesman told reporters.

 

Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters that it was the framework for a broader plan and looked at Islamic State around the world, not just Iraq and Syria.

 

Davis said the plan would define what defeating Islamic State meant and was one that would "rapidly" defeat the militant group.

He added that Mattis would discuss the plan, which is primarily a written one with accompanying graphics, with members of the Cabinet-level Principals Committee.

 

The review of U.S. strategy comes at a decisive moment in the U.S.-led coalition effort against Islamic State in both Iraq and Syria, and could lead to relaxing some of the former Obama administration's policy restrictions, like limits on troop numbers. The Trump administration has said defeating "radical Islamic terror groups" is among its top foreign policy goals.

 

The Baghdad-based U.S. commander on the ground, Army Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, has said he believes U.S.-backed forces would recapture both of Islamic State's major strongholds - the cities of Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria - within the next six months.

 

Iraqi forces expect a fierce battle against Islamic State to retake Mosul.

 

In Syria, the United States must soon decide whether to arm Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters, despite objections from NATO ally Turkey, which brands the militia group as terrorists.

 

The U.S. military-led review includes input from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, as well as from the Treasury Department and the U.S. intelligence community.

 

Davis said that in addition to diplomacy, the plan would include a military framework that builds on capabilities and goals on the battlefield.

 

Experts have said the Pentagon could request additional forces, beyond the less than 6,000 American troops now deployed to both Iraq and Syria, helping the U.S. military go farther and do more in the fight.

 

They also said the Pentagon may focus on smaller-scale options like increasing the number of attack helicopters and air strikes as well as bringing in more artillery. The military may also seek more authority to make battlefield decisions.

 

(Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Andrew Hay and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-02-28

[jerojero]

Yes. The US will wipe them out in short order... because Trump said so. Good luck, you'll need it.

[PremiumLane]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Pentagon delivers draft plan to defeat Islamic State

Surely the headline should read 'Pentagon delivers draft plan to enable Islamic State'

[craigt3365]

Trump was just on TV saying he knows IS better than anybody.  Better than any general.  He's fully delusional. Sick man.

[puck2]

 

Quote

Experts have said the Pentagon could request additional forces, beyond the less than 6,000 American troops now deployed to both Iraq and Syria, helping the U.S. military go farther and do more in the fight.

 

They also said the Pentagon may focus on smaller-scale options like increasing the number of attack helicopters and air strikes as well as bringing in more artillery. The military may also seek more authority to make battlefield decisions.

 

 

 

When will these military bletherers ever learn that you cannot stop even idiotic ideas or religion by weapons. Maybe they believe they are able to shoot them out of their brains. Did they already forget the war against the Taliban?

 

Why doesn't he start in the oval office of the White House?

Edited February 28, 2017 by puck2

[maewang99]

don't blame the military guys. 

Trump's base, and Steve Bannon... definitely believe this is how to do it. it's a major part of their agenda. 

 

Bannon's stay on a US Navy ship, just as it left the carrier that launched the Iran Hostage mission... forget why.... was a defining moment in his life.... one that he still carries around with him. did you miss that?

these are true believers in a war on radical Islam.  in the White House.

 

it won't turn out well... yeah.  agree. 

Edited February 28, 2017 by maewang99

[Emster23]

I think this might have been misreported.... Trump boasted during campaign HE had a plan to defeat ISIS in 30 days (some of you may recall that). So Pentagon should have been visiting him to pick up his brilliant, unthought of before by anyone, plan. He must have had one, as he never lies. Just ask him

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed as well as an apt reply. 

[GuyA]

The Saudi funded Wahhabi are fighting ISIS. Who do you think the foreign fighters in Syria are? Saudi has no want of ISIS in their land, and there has never been a love of a regime which allows Christianity, and offshoot sects of Islam in their borders.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[FitnessHealthTravel]

Wow...so many experts!

[Thaidream]

They will never be able to completely defeat radical terrorism based upon a misinterpretation of religion. Islam is not about death and destruction anymore than Christianity is about the crusades; the Spanish Inquisition and Salem witch trials.

The US unfortunately will intervene with boots on the ground and more Americans will die. The enemy will retreat and go underground  and start to regroup for its next adventure against the West or those in the Arab World who would allow the non believers to occupy Arab lands.

If the Us really wanted to stop this once and for all- it would be better to force a Palestinian- Israeli agreement;  stop vilifying the Iranians; and withdraw US Forces from the Middle East. As far as Syria is concerned I would let Assad have his country back and let the Russians control him.

[boomerangutang]

Simple:   just catch ISIS guys.  Put 'em up against a wall.  Shoot 'em dead.  

 

         It's like, years ago, there was an ad in the back of a comic book for "Bug Killer" "guaranteed to kill bugs every time!"  "Never use pesticides again!"    Customer sends $3 and gets a little bamboo gizmo in the mail.   It's a small solid wood tube inside a bamboo tube.  It's got a bean sized hole in it.   Put the offending bug in the hole, press the wood plunger, and squishidy-pow!  The bug is dead.

[gamini]

51 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

They will never be able to completely defeat radical terrorism based upon a misinterpretation of religion. Islam is not about death and destruction anymore than Christianity is about the crusades; the Spanish Inquisition and Salem witch trials.

The US unfortunately will intervene with boots on the ground and more Americans will die. The enemy will retreat and go underground  and start to regroup for its next adventure against the West or those in the Arab World who would allow the non believers to occupy Arab lands.

If the Us really wanted to stop this once and for all- it would be better to force a Palestinian- Israeli agreement;  stop vilifying the Iranians; and withdraw US Forces from the Middle East. As far as Syria is concerned I would let Assad have his country back and let the Russians control him.

 

This is a very good and intelligent post. 

[williamgeorgeallen]

defeat islamic state and the next group will emerge. there is a better chance of stopping prostitution in pattaya.

[iReason]

Is this the "secret plan" where the Clown in Chief knows "more about ISIS than th, the Generals do"?

 

 

Note the delusional and dangerous Mussolini-esqe rants.

Edited February 28, 2017 by iReason

[Srikcir]

First - you cannot defeat an ideology on the battle field. The Cold War ended in favor of the US without any military engagements between the US and the USSR.

Second - Syria and Iraq are sovereign nations and they will decide the extent that US combat forces will be allowed to operate within their nation. Unless Trump plans to overthrow those government; then see Third. US providing greater military capability to the Kurds and Syrian Rebel Army to battle ISIL will meet resistance from Asaad and Erdogan.

Third - effective defeat of ISIL ideology must come largely from the Muslim populace itself.

 

I wouldn't be surprised that Trump will say that he didn't realize that defeating ISIL is going to be so complicated. The defeat of ISIL throughout the Middle East will take much longer than 30 days.

 

[ilostmypassword]

3 hours ago, Srikcir said:

 

 

I wouldn't be surprised that Trump will say that he didn't realize that defeating ISIL is going to be so complicated. The defeat of ISIL throughout the Middle East will take much longer than 30 days.

 

Trump would never say such a thing. What he would say is that Nobody realized that defeating ISIL would be so complicated. Because, you know, he's so well informed.

[Gene1960]

First - you cannot defeat an ideology on the battle field. The Cold War ended in favor of the US without any military engagements between the US and the USSR.
Second - Syria and Iraq are sovereign nations and they will decide the extent that US combat forces will be allowed to operate within their nation. Unless Trump plans to overthrow those government; then see Third. US providing greater military capability to the Kurds and Syrian Rebel Army to battle ISIL will meet resistance from Asaad and Erdogan.
Third - effective defeat of ISIL ideology must come largely from the Muslim populace itself.
 
I wouldn't be surprised that Trump will say that he didn't realize that defeating ISIL is going to be so complicated. The defeat of ISIL throughout the Middle East will take much longer than 30 days.
 

While I agree with your first and third points, I think that your definition of sovereignty is a bit too broad.

Neither Syria nor Iraq are sovereign anymore. They are not in a position to allow or not allow anything to the major foreign powers. The two countries have foreign actors on their soil. That is a reality of the Post-Bush world.