Military Leaders Brief Obama at the Pentagon

President Barack Obama met with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, national security leaders, and regional combatant commanders at the Pentagon on Wednesday for an update on operations against ISIS extremists and other defense issues. Following the meeting, Obama reiterated the battle will not “be solved overnight,” but said there continues to be a “broad-based consensus not just in the region, but among nations of the world that [ISIS] is a threat to world peace, security, and order.” Following the meeting at the Pentagon, Obama said US Central Command boss Army Gen. Lloyd Austin was to brief him and members of the National Security Council on the progress being made so far in Iraq and Syria. The President praised US service members for performing in an “exemplary fashion” despite the “enormous burdens and enormous strains” they face. “I think at a time when there’s so much turbulence in the world, never during my presidency has it become more apparent how good our military is, but also how they can tackle a wide range of problems and not just a narrow set of problems,” said Obama. The President also was briefed on ongoing military efforts to tackle the Ebola crisis, efforts to assure NATO allies weary of further Russian aggression, as well as “challenges and opportunities in the Pacific,” he said.