Space Travel News  
TERROR WARS
Trump to visit Centcom, with sights on battling Islamic State
By Andrew BEATTY
Palm Beach, United States (AFP) Feb 6, 2017


Trump to meet NATO leaders in May: White House
Palm Beach, United States (AFP) Feb 6, 2017 - Donald Trump will meet fellow NATO leaders in May, the White House said Sunday after the president's call with the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Trump expressed "strong support for NATO" but called on European members to pitch in more, the White House said in a statement, adding that Trump "agreed to join in a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in late May."

"The parties agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation to address the full range of security challenges facing NATO," the White House statement said.

The United States provides significant funding to NATO, and Trump has previously urged other member nations to step up their contributions.

"The leaders discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments," Sunday's statement added.

European leaders are concerned about Trump's virulent criticism of NATO -- he has dubbed the transatlantic military alliance "obsolete" -- at a time when it stands as the main defense against Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

According to the White House statement the parties also discussed "the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border."

Kiev and the West have accused Russia of supporting eastern Ukrainian rebels and deploying troops across the border, claims that Moscow refutes.

Trump's friendly stance toward Putin has been under scrutiny since he won the US election in November.

Trump took office with US-Russian ties at new lows amid accusations by American intelligence agencies that the Kremlin hacked Democratic Party emails as part of a pro-Trump campaign to influence the election.

President Donald Trump travels to US Central Command on Monday, meeting officers who will form the tip of the spear in implementing his new strategy to defeat the Islamic State group.

After a three-day break in southern Florida, Trump will stop off at Centcom headquarters in Tampa on his way back to Washington.

The military command is responsible for an area that includes the Middle East and Central Asia.

It plays a key role in Operation Inherent Resolve -- the US-led mission to "degrade and defeat" the Islamic State group -- which has resulted in 17,861 strikes across northern Syria and Iraq since August 2016.

Apart from seizing territory and declaring a caliphate, the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for attacks in Africa, Europe, the United States, Southeast Asia and across the Middle East.

It's seen as influencing attackers in San Bernardino, California, who killed 14 people in December 2015, and the attacker of an Orlando nightclub, who left 49 dead in June last year.

In late January, Trump ordered generals to begin a 30-day review of the US strategy to defeat the Syria and Iraq-based militant group.

Trump had made fighting "radical Islamic terrorism" a central plank of his election campaign and the issue is emerging as the organizing principle of his foreign and domestic policies.

He used potential cooperation in the fight against the Islamic State group as a reason to embrace Russia and has tried to implement an order banning refugees and nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.

The ban has spurred an unprecedented battle with the courts. On Sunday, Trump tried to pin the blame for future attacks on the federal judge who blocked his executive order.

"Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" Trump said.

He did not offer evidence for the suggestion that would-be terrorists are flocking to the country.

Most experts express more concern about Americans becoming radicalized and carrying out IS-inspired attacks, rather than the group dispatching clandestine agents around the world.

Hundreds of Trump's own diplomats have voiced their opposition to the ban.

- Taking the fight to ISIS -

The contours of Trump's policy to fight the Islamic State group abroad are still coming into focus.

On January 28, he signed a presidential memorandum that called for a review including any "recommended changes to any United States rules of engagement."

That could foreshadow a tougher approach, but it is one that some experts believe could fuel radicalization.

During Trump's first days in office, US special forces carried out a raid against Al-Qaeda in Yemen which resulted in the deaths of one US soldier, 14 jihadists and as many as 16 civilians.

Trump also called for the "identification of new coalition partners" -- a likely nod toward Russia.

Moscow has deployed aircraft, naval assets and troops to Syria, but has so far trained its fire on rebels with the aim of propping up Bashar al-Assad's regime.

After substantial territorial gains, IS is now on the back foot, struggling to hold onto the Iraqi city of Mosul and with its "capital" in Raqa under threat.

But the battle is approaching a fork in the road.

Trump has reportedly shelved his predecessor Barack Obama's plans for taking Raqa with the help of Kurdish forces and must soon decide how to proceed.


Comment on this article using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
The Long War - Doctrine and Application






Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
TERROR WARS
Tunisia gets 6 US combat helicopters to fight 'terror'
Tunis (AFP) Feb 4, 2017
Tunisia's armed forces have taken delivery of six US-made military helicopters from a total order of 24 for use in its fight against "terror", the government announced Saturday. Prime Minister Youssef Chahed was present at the southern military base of Gabes for the delivery of the aircraft, said a government statement. The helicopters would reinforce the army's reconnaissance and attack ... read more


TERROR WARS
TERROR WARS
Similar-Looking Ridges on Mars Have Diverse Origins

Commercial Crew's Role in Path to Mars

Bursts of methane may have warmed early Mars

Opportunity marks 13 years of ground operations on Mars

TERROR WARS
India, Israel among five teams fighting for first private Moon landing

China schedules Chang'e-5 lunar probe launch

The science behind the Lunar Hydrogen Polar Mapper mission

Eugene Cernan, last man to walk on moon, dead at 82

TERROR WARS
Public to Choose Jupiter Picture Sites for NASA Juno

Experiment resolves mystery about wind flows on Jupiter

Pluto Global Color Map

Lowell Observatory to renovate Pluto discovery telescope

TERROR WARS
New planet imager delivers first science at Keck

First footage of a living stylodactylid shrimp filter-feeding at depth of 4826m

SF State astronomer searches for signs of life on Wolf 1061 exoplanet

Looking for life in all the right places with the right tool

TERROR WARS
Russia to call tender for 2nd Phase of Vostochny Spaceport construction in Fall

Russia to check space flight engines over faulty parts

SmallGEO's first flight reaches orbit

Major review completed for SLS Exploration Upper Stage

TERROR WARS
China looks to Mars, Jupiter exploration

China's first cargo spacecraft to leave factory

China launches commercial rocket mission Kuaizhou-1A

China Space Plan to Develop "Strength and Size"

TERROR WARS
Objective: To deflect asteroids, thus preventing their collision with Earth

Gaia turns its eyes to asteroid hunting

An urban collection of modern-day micrometeorites

Cash crunch for anti-Armageddon asteroid mission









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.