Joint Staff Operations Director Lt. Gen. William Mayville on Tuesday laid out the tasks ahead for the newly created coalition fighting ISIS extremists, also known as ISIL, in Syria and Iraq. “Last night’s strikes are the beginning of a credible and sustainable, persistent campaign to degrade and destroy ISIL. Our immediate tasks are to: continue the degradation of ISIL in Syria and Iraq; to build and strengthen regional partners and to build a regional coalition; to assist in putting Iraqi security forces and the Peshmerga on the offensive; to support the broader diplomatic efforts in the region; to implement a Syrian ‘train and equip’ program; and to continue to work with Iraq security forces and ministries.”
All of the U.S. military services are pursuing capabilities to complement GPS amid concerns that the constellation is increasingly vulnerable to interference, but a new government watchdog report calls for better coordination and prioritization among those efforts to avoid delays and duplication.
