WASHINGTON, D.C., United States (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama said he spoke with Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Tuesday (April 5) about how the Pentagon should be organised to meet global threats, including from Islamic State.
“We’re investing in capabilities that of our military to deter aggression and defend our security and that of our allies, and this includes increases in our posture in Europe, to reassure NATO allies, in light of particularly increased aggressive actions by Russia. It allows us to enhance our maritime cooperation in the Asia Pacific, it allows us to boost cyber security where there is going to be an increasing threat that has to be addressed,” Obama said.
Obama spoke with reporters after meeting with Carter at the White House. Obama said he would discuss the Islamic State threat with combatant commanders and the Joint Chiefs of Staff at a meeting later on Tuesday (April 5).
“We’ve got to keep on putting the pressure on them, and obviously that is not just a military operation, that is an intelligence and diplomatic effort as well. So one of the things we will talk about here is how we make sure that we coordinate our military activity with the efforts of our other branches of government. This will continue to be a difficult fight but I’m absolutely confident that lSIL will lose, we will prevail,” Obama said.