Fight Against ISIS Will Be Tough: U.S.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff detailed Tuesday the campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) terrorists following a visit to Iraq.
Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. told reporters traveling with him that while he will not project a timeline, operations against the terror group continue to make progress.
The general said the trip allowed him to focus on the campaign and clarified some of his thinking on its main elements. “But one thing I am going to steer clear of is talking about timelines,” he added. “I will just say right up front there is no timeline.”
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The fight against ISIL has been and will be tough, Dunford said, noting that the enemy is adaptable and flexible.
A year ago, ISIL solidified its hold in Syria and swept into Iraq, he said. He last visited the area in September, before becoming chairman, and at that time, he said, operations in Syria and Iraq were stalemated. Now, there is progress, he added.
