New House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) told reporters Thursday the US efforts to degrade and defeat ISIS in the Middle East have not been effective. “We are not rolling them back,” Thornberry said at a Defense Writers Group session in Washington, D.C. Thornberry said President Obama’s claims that we are prevailing against the terrorist group are “simply not true.” Although he acknowledged minor victories in the region, Thornberry said there are still numerous reasons for concern. For example, the expansion of ISIS troops in Syria and the instability following the decreasing US presence in Iraq. “I have a lot of concerns about the Iraqi military getting back on their feet,” Thornberry said. “I have a lot of concerns about the Iraqi government being able to regain the trust of the Sunni tribes, which is absolutely essential to isolating ISIS.” He said continuing with a strategy of simply “training people inside” the region to fight against ISIS is not working. “Part of the challenges is when you place restrictions on what our people can do … obviously you’re going to be limited,” Thornberry added.
When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rolled out an expansive acquisition reform agenda earlier this month, he promised aggressive implementation and reorganization aimed at transforming the way the Pentagon develops and fields weapons and platforms. The plan appears to have been well-received by past administration officials and lawmakers from both parties who…
