Obama Meets Foreign Chiefs of Defense

Fight against ISIL Will be a ‘Long-Term Campaign’ 

The fight against ISIL will be a “long-term campaign,” President Barack Obama told a gathering of 21 foreign chiefs of defense at Andrews Joint Base today. The meeting, organized by Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, was to coordinate strategies in the efforts against ISIL. There are no “quick fixes,” Obama said. But with 60 countries contributing to the coalition, President Obama added, the world is untied against the terrorist group. (DoD News, 14 October)

The foreign nations represented in today’s meeting included Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

Photos above: President Obama meeting international military leaders; Joint Base Andrews, 14 October 2014 (DoD News)

UPDATE: Photo below: Military leaders attending the meeting hosted by GEN Martin Dempsey (center front row)