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Coalition renews commitment to support partners in anti-ISIS mission
[NPASyria] On Wednesday, Major General Matthew McFarlane, the commanding general of the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, said they were ready to stand up to any threats that could prevent sustaining a lasting defeat on the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
 (ISIS).

That came in a blurb published by the US State Department in which McFarlane alongside his Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dana Stroul shed light on the recent development in February and partnership with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

"One of the critical aspects of our approach is that in Iraq, we are not here to fight on behalf of Iraq; we are here in a non-combat role to provide the necessary support and resources, advising, assisting, and enabling the Iraqi Security Forces to take the lead in the fight against ISIS. This approach has proven successful, and we are confident it will continue to be effective," McFarlane said.

Both emphasized the aim of inflicting a lasting defeat upon ISIS, and to continue working in partnership with Iraqi Forces, the Kurdish Peshmergha forces and the SDF.

Responding to a question on the Ottoman Turkish threats of carrying out a potential military operation into northeast Syria, Stroul said, "I want to underscore the numerous statements and engagements you’ve seen from across the U.S. administration — both National Security Council, State Department, Department of Defense — warning of our grave and serious concerns about the prospects of a Ottoman Turkish ground incursion into northeast Syria and raising concerns about the continued air operations."

"It does not change our concern that continued Ottoman Turkish military operations or a ground incursion into northern Syria would detract from what is a shared global commitment and concern about ISIS," she said.

Replying to a question on how could an enduring defeat be incurred on ISIS, Stroul noted that "even though ISIS no longer holds territory, it still has the ideology to inspire and recruit members to its ranks, and it has the will to reconstitute, which is why we are committed to strategic patience and supporting our partners to ensure that this terrorist army cannot reconstitute and terrorize the people and citizens of Iraq and Syria or, indeed, the rest of the Middle East."

Replying to a question posed on ISIS families held in the region that could take advantage of the current situation in the aftermath of the quake that hit south The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire...
 and north Syria, McFarlane said, "We continue to monitor the situation very closely, and specifically track any possible threats that seek advantage from such a tragic situation."

"We are tracking no damage to SDF-controlled facilities right now minus some minor cracks that we continue to monitor, but no structural damage that puts any of the facilities at risk. We continue to monitor both the threats and potential threats to detention facilities very closely with the SDF as they continue to guard the ISIS prisoners across northeast Syria," the commander added.

"Our efforts through our advise, assist, and enable mission have been successful in continuing to weaken and degrade ISIS. Our coalition forces and partners are willing and effective, but we recognize there is still work to be done. We remain committed to our partners in the region in pursing the enduring defeat of ISIS," Stroul indicated.
Posted by: trailing wife 2023-03-02
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=660061