By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, November 17, 2015 — Defense Secretary Ash Carter
met with military commanders this morning, asking them to consider where the
coalition effort in Iraq and Syria can be expanded with the help of partners,
Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said today.
The secretary also received an update on the fight against
the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from combatant commanders and other
military leaders, Cook said.
During the meeting, Carter also was updated on the situation
in Syria and in Iraq, and participants discussed the tragedy in Paris and the
decision by the French government to expand its counter-ISIL efforts, the press
secretary added.
Galvanizing Others
“As he mentioned last night at the Wall Street Journal CEO
Council, the secretary hopes this tragedy will galvanize others to do even more
as well,” Cook said.
Also this morning, Carter and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. met with Chief of Army Staff
Gen. Raheel Sharif of Pakistan to discuss mutual security interests, Cook said.
Topics included security cooperation between the United
States and Pakistan, Pakistani counterterrorism operations in the country’s
federally administered tribal areas, and regional security dynamics, he added.
Security Cooperation
“The secretary expressed his appreciation for Pakistan's
ongoing counterterrorism efforts and condolences for the heavy losses incurred
by Pakistani security forces and civilians in this fight,” the press secretary
said, adding that Carter underscored the importance of increased
Pakistan-Afghanistan cooperation.
Also this morning, Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work toured
the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial with Sharif, and the chairman held a separate
discussion with the general, Cook said.
Later today, Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of
U.S. Central Command, will meet with Sharif, he said.
DoD Reforms
This afternoon, Carter will attend a meeting with current
and former military leaders and independent experts to discuss possible Defense
Department reforms, Cook said, one in a series of meetings being held to
discuss areas of potential reform to the defense enterprise in the spirit of
the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986.
The legislation was enacted to reorganize the department and
strengthen civilian authority, improve military advice given to the president,
the National Security Council and the defense secretary, and to place clear
responsibility on commanders of the unified and specified combatant commands
for accomplishing missions assigned, among other things.
The meetings will examine potential redundancies in areas
where performance could be streamlined or improved, and help set the
department's reform agenda and determine the path forward to ensure our
continued strength, the press secretary said.
Force of the Future
Tomorrow at 2 p.m., Cook added, Carter will discuss his
Force of the Future initiative at George Washington University.
During his remarks there, according to a DoD statement
issued yesterday, Carter will announce the first phase of personnel reforms in
the initiative, which will consist of multiple elements, each with creative and
modern proposals designed to help recruit and retain the best men and women the
nation has to offer.
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