Among the topics being discussed at the NATO Summit in Wales on Thursday and Friday are the Islamic State terrorist organisation;Russia's invasion of Ukraine;and the alliance's drawdown in Afghanistan.President Barack Obama;UK Prime Minister David Cameron;and other western leaders are in attendance,including special guest Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.*
According to General Jack Keane,former Vice Chief of Staff,US Army,the Pentagon has put together a comprehensive campaign plan for combating ISIL.This is not containment,GEN Keane said.It's going to take a combination of brute force and ideology.This is going to take at least 50 years.
Military action matters.The US and a coalition should launch an interdiction campaign.I'm absolutely convinced that their assumption is that the US will not attack Syria.What we should be driven by is what this movement portends for our vital interests in the Middle East and our homeland.Our goal should be to degrade and destroy ISIL so that it is no longer a threat.*
Two hundred US troops have been sent to Ukraine to conduct small unit tactics training.At least 1,000 Russian troops have moved in en masse near Donetsk and on the road to Mariupol.There are actually as many as 4,000 of them,a rebel source confided.
A Russian counteroffensive in Donetsk and Luhansk has been launched thirty miles inside Ukraine,with very heavy fighting in two areas to the south of these cities.Separatist forces were backed by Russian troops,and dozens of civilians were killed.In Mariupol,there was another offensive with Russian tanks.*
In Afghanistan,NATO stands ready to provide a post-2014 train,advise and assist mission.The problem is,the Afghans have not so far been able to form a government following the disputed presidential election results.A government is needed to sign an an agreement with NATO allowing such a post-2014 force to operate in the country.
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