President Barack Obama, in his commencement address at the US Military Academy Wednesday, unveiled plans for a new counterterrorism initiative. “I am calling on Congress to support a new Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund of up to $5 billion, which will allow us to train, build capacity, and facilitate partner countries on the front lines,” said Obama. There is a need to train Yemen security forces, support peace in Somalia, strengthen the Libyan border, facilitate French operations in Mali, and focus attention on growing Syrian conflicts, he added. “A critical focus of this effort will be the ongoing crisis in Syria,” Obama said. “As frustrating as it is, there are no easy answers, no military solution that can eliminate the terrible suffering any time soon. As President, I made a decision that we should not put American troops into the middle of this increasingly sectarian war, and I believe that is the right decision,” said Obama. However, he went on to say US forces will support those in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and Iraq “as they contend with refugees and confront terrorists working across Syria’s borders. (Obama transcript.)
Navy Adm. Samuel J. Paparo Jr. assumed leadership of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, succeeding Navy Adm. John Aquilino at a change of command ceremony, urging action amid China's “increasing intrusive and expansionist claims,” on May 3