U.S. SUPPORTED NEW SYRIAN FORCES BEGIN COMBAT TRAINING

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin E. Dempsey answers a reporter's questions as Defense Secretary Ash Carter listens during a press conference in the Pentagon Briefing Room May 7, 2015. DoD Photo by Glenn Fawcett.  

Carter: Combat Training Begins for New Syrian Forces
By Cheryl Pellerin
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2015 – Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced today that combat training has begun for nearly 90 fighters from the new Syrian forces and that a second group will begin training in the next few weeks.

Carter spoke alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey during a briefing to the Pentagon press corps here.

“The program is a critical and complex part of our counter-ISIL efforts,” Carter said, referring to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.

The training for what the secretary called “highly vetted individuals” is led by very experienced trainers and taking place in a secure location, he said.
New Syrian Forces

Carter said the trainees have been in the program for quite a while, having gone through a process of being recruited and vetted.

“The training takes some time,” he added, “and then they would be inserted into operations, and the trainees [coming in] behind them. … We hope this to be an ever-expanding program once it proves itself, which I think it will.”
The trainees are being trained and equipped specifically to fight ISIL, the secretary said.

“That is the purpose, and that is the basis upon which they're being vetted and trained,” Carter said, adding that it’s not a goal of the U.S. program to have the new Syrian forces engage the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Engaging ISIL

The trainees are being fielded to engage ISIL, he said. “That will be their principal mission and that's one of the bases on which they would join our program in the first place.”

If Assad’s forces undertook to engage the new Syrian forces being trained, the Defense Department “would have some responsibility toward them,” the secretary said, but the extent of such responsibility and the rules of engagement have not yet been decided.

Carter said that along with the training, those who participate will receive compensation and small arms.

“We're figuring out what the best training is [and] what the best initial deployment is,” the secretary added. “We expect that to be successful and therefore to grow, but you have to start somewhere, and this is where we're starting.”

Growing the Program

Dempsey noted the program will be grown in a measured way.

“This … program is very complex,” the chairman added. “It won't be easy, but I'd emphasize that it's one part, one component, of a much broader approach.”
The stability of the Assad regime could be a consideration as the training program proceeds, and Dempsey agreed that a destabilized regime would pose new challenges.

“Two years ago, Assad was at a point where we thought he was at a disadvantage and that the opposition was on the rise, and then that situation reversed itself for a period of time,” Dempsey explained, “so we've been through the intellectual rigor of what this might mean.”

Counter-ISIL Strategy

For Syria it might mean further instability if power were to transfer precipitously, the chairman said, and it could worsen the humanitarian crisis.

“For us and our counter-ISIL strategy, it wouldn't change the dynamic --
meaning that we still have the fundamental challenge of finding moderate Syrian opposition men to train to be a stabilizing influence over time,” Dempsey said.
“On the side of our diplomacy and our diplomats, there’s the issue of finding moderate Syrian opposition to establish a political structure to which the military force we're building can be responsive,” he added.

The challenges wouldn’t change for the Defense Department, he said, but it would make the situation for Syria more complicated.

Dempsey added, “I do think that the [Assad] regime's momentum has been slowed, and … I do believe the situation is trending less favorably for the regime. And if I were him, I would find the opportunity to look to the negotiating table.”

AIRSTRIKES CONTINUE HITTING ISIL

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Airstrikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 8, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Syria

Attack, bomber fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted five airstrikes in Syria:

-- Near Hasakah, four airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units, destroying four ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Raqqah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted nine airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Asad, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL building.

-- Near Qaim, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Beiji, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying six ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL vehicle-borne improvised explosive device and an ISIL armored personnel carrier.

-- Near Mosul, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL large tactical unit, destroying seven ISIL buildings and destroying nine ISIL heavy machine guns.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

READOUT: VP BIDEN'S MEETING WITH IRAQI KURDISTAN PRESIDENT BARZANI

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
May 06, 2015
Readout of Vice President Biden's Meeting with Iraqi Kurdistan Regional President Masoud Barzani

This morning, Vice President Joe Biden hosted Iraqi Kurdistan Regional President Masoud Barzani at the Naval Observatory for breakfast. The Vice President underscored the United States’ strong commitment to working with the global coalition and the Iraqi people to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL through a comprehensive campaign including military, political, economic, and humanitarian efforts. Vice President Biden and President Barzani discussed ongoing U.S. security assistance to the Kurdish Peshmerga in full coordination with the Government of Iraq. Both leaders agreed on the profound need for close cooperation between the Government of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the global coalition in the ongoing fight against ISIL, particularly with respect to the liberation of Mosul. They also agreed on the need for close coordination between Baghdad and Erbil to advance key elements of the Government of Iraq’s national program.

DOD NEWS REGARDING OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Airstrikes Hit ISIL Terrorists in Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 6, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest airstrikes in Iraq, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 11 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Huwayjah, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and two ISIL staging areas, destroying an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Beiji, four airstrikes struck one large and two small ISIL tactical units, destroying five ISIL fighting positions, eight ISIL structures, six ISIL fuel tanks, three ISIL vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Mosul, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL buildings and an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Ramadi, two airstrikes struck one large and one small ISIL tactical units, destroying four ISIL structures and an ISIL mortar system.

-- Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying three ISIL fighting positions and three ISIL buildings.

CJTF-OIR conducted no airstrikes against ISIL terrorists in Syria between 8 a.m., yesterday, and 8 a.m., today, local time.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

DOD DETAILS OF RECENT AIRSTRIKES IN IRAQ, SYRIA

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
ISIL Tactical Units, Fighting Positions Destroyed in Airstrikes
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 5, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Syria

An attack aircraft conducted one airstrike near Hasakah, which destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 12 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Beiji, three airstrikes struck one large and two small ISIL tactical units, destroying three ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL structures, an ISIL warehouse, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL excavator and an ISIL rocket-propelled grenade.

-- Near Fallujah, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL structures, two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL mortar tube.

-- Near Mosul, four airstrikes struck three ISIL fighting positions, destroying an ISIL excavator.

Tactical unit, destroying three ISIL structures, three ISIL tanks and an ISIL armored vehicle.

-- Near Tal Afar, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

DOD REPORTS OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE AIRSTRIKES CONTINUE

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Iraq
Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Releases

SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 4, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
Officials reported details of the latest airstrikes in Iraq, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 22 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Asad, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL excavators.

-- Near Huwayjah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL staging areas.

-- Near Qaim, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Beiji, eight airstrikes struck one large and five small ISIL tactical units, destroying five ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL buildings, an ISIL command and control facility, an ISIL mortar system, and an ISIL vehicle-borne

improvised explosive device.

-- Near Fallujah, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying five ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Ramadi, an airstrike destroyed four ISIL caches.

-- Near Sinjar, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying three ISIL buildings and two ISIL fighting positions.

-- Near Tal Afar, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and two ISIL fighting positions, destroying an ISIL excavator.

CJTF-OIR conducted no airstrikes against ISIL terrorists in Syria between 8 a.m., yesterday, and 8 a.m., today, local time, according to officials.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

CENTCOM REPORTS SETBACKS FOR ISIL IN SYRIA AND IRAQ

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
ISIL Experiencing Setbacks in Iraq, Syria, Centcom Says
By Terri Moon Cronk
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2015 – While Beiji and Ramadi in Iraq remain contested between Iraqi security forces and extremist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants, ISIL is experiencing setbacks, a U.S. Central Command spokesman said today.

Speaking to reporters in the Pentagon via teleconference, Air Force Col. Patrick Ryder provided a weekly update on Centcom’s operational highlights in the fight against ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

In central Iraq, Iraqi security forces continue to conduct operations to secure the city of Karmah, and they have retaken territory around the Tigris River canal, Ryder said.

“We’ve seen these efforts help isolate ISIL fighters who are in the town, and this has helped choke off their lines of communication,” he said, adding that from an operational perspective, such gains help to secure ISIL approaches to Baghdad.

Iraqi Forces Hold Ramadi

There have been no significant changes from last week’s operations in Ramadi, a city in western Iraq, where Iraqi forces continue to hold onto key ground while ISIL forces try to keep territory they captured in the eastern part of the city. “We expect Ramadi to remain contested,” Ryder said.

ISIL also continues to contest the Iraqi forces’ hold on Beiji’s oil refinery, he said.

“ISIL has shown that Beiji and Ramadi are strategically important to them, and they are committing a significant amount of limited resources to secure these locations,” Ryder said.

ISIL wants to “score a win” after suffering numerous recent setbacks, most notably in Tikrit, he added. “Because of this, both cities are expected to remain contested for some time,” he said.

ISIL Temporarily Seizes Sub-dam

ISIL forces temporarily seized the Thar Thar, or Takseem, sub-dam north of Habbaniyah earlier this week, but Iraqi forces ultimately were able to repulse ISIL and re-secure the sub-dam.

“As it has elsewhere, ISIL employed this attack as a propaganda opportunity, and afterward posted online they killed 140 Iraqi soldiers, a number grossly over-exaggerated,” he said. Centcom’s information indicates the actual number of Iraqi forces casualties was five to 15, he told reporters.

Kurdish peshmerga forces in northern Iraq have continued to clear additional territory from ISIL and strengthen forces there, Ryder said, adding that ISIL attacks against Kurdish forces in the region can be best characterized as “harassing attacks.”

Kurdish Fighters Hold On in Syria

Similarly in eastern Syria, Kurdish fighters continue to expand and hold the territory they’ve taken, but ISIL is trying to contain the Kurds’ gains, Ryder noted.

“As the Kurds take territory from ISIL, they’re having an effect on the group’s lines of communication into northern Iraq,” he said.

“This development, along with continued coalition air strikes, has put further pressure on ISIL and it is inhibiting their ability to flow additional resources or freely operate in this region,” he said.

Centcom officials expect ISIL to continue its limited-scope attacks to exploit their propaganda value and give the false impression they’re able to conduct major offensive operations, Ryder said.

And while the fight against ISIL is “by no means over,” he added, Centcom officials are confident ISIL ultimately will be defeated.

RECENT AIRSTRIKES IN SYRIA, IRAQ

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Airstrikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 1, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Syria

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 11 airstrikes in Syria:

-- Near Hasakah, four airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL excavator.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Kobani, six airstrikes struck an ISIL large and three small tactical units, destroying seven ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.
Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted seven airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Beiji, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL fighting positions.

-- Near Fallujah, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Mosul, an airstrike struck an ISIL defensive position.

-- Near Ramadi, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying an ISIL fighting position, and an ISIL resupply cache.

-- Near Tal Afar, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

AMBASSADOR POWER'S STATEMENT CONDEMNING SYRIA'S SHELLING AND BOMBING OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP

FROM:  THE STATE DEPARTMENT
Samantha Power
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
New York, NY
April 30, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The United States strongly condemns the Syrian regime’s April 28 shelling and bombing of Yarmouk, a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Damascus, and expresses concern over today’s reports of ongoing violent clashes in the camp. The regime’s latest aerial bombardment further threatens the thousands of trapped civilians who have struggled under horrendous siege conditions for nearly two years. The military strikes also imperil humanitarian relief agencies’ ability to provide life-saving assistance to people in Yarmouk and the surrounding neighborhoods to which many Yarmouk residents have reportedly recently fled.

The Syrian regime must lift the siege of Yarmouk and allow UNRWA and other humanitarian partners immediate and unfettered access to vulnerable populations in need, both in Yarmouk and in the surrounding regime-besieged neighborhoods. All parties, including the regime, ISIL, al Nusrah and Aknaf Bait Al-Maqdis should afford safe passage to those civilians who choose to relocate temporarily; families must not be separated; and departing civilians must not be detained. The United States continues to call for independent, international monitoring of civilians’ passage to ensure it is safe and in line with international law.

Yarmouk is only one example of the conflict’s devastating impact on civilian populations. The Syrian regime’s continued siege, combined with the recent incursions by ISIL, has decimated entire neighborhoods in the camp and reflects more broadly the death, destruction and despair to which innocent Syrians have been subjected for more than four years. The international community must come together with a heightened sense of urgency to find a political solution that can end the terrible conflict.

To that end, the United States welcomes the United Nations’ efforts, under the leadership of Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura, to foster dialogue between all parties to advance conditions for a genuine political solution in line with the Geneva Communique. We also urge the United Nations to work intensively to facilitate the safe relocation of civilians who wish to leave Yarmouk.

RECENT AIRSTRIKES IN SYRIA, IRAQ

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 29, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Syria

Attack, bomber and fighter aircraft conducted five airstrikes in Syria:
-- Near Hasakah, an airstrike struck two ISIL fighting positions.

-- Near Kobani, four airstrikes struck an ISIL large and two small tactical units, destroying five ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 16 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Asad, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL heavy machine gun.

-- Near Huwayjah, five airstrikes struck three ISIL staging areas and an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL vehicle-borne bombs and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Beiji, five airstrikes struck five ISIL tactical units, destroying four ISIL vehicles, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL warehouse.

-- Near Fallujah, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL trench complex.

-- Near Mosul, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL excavator.

-- Near Ramadi, an airstrike destroyed three ISIL tanker trucks.

-- Near Tal Afar, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL crane, an ISIL weapons cache and an ISIL vehicle.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

NSA SUSAN E. RICE MAKES REMARKS TO ARAB AMERICAN INSTITUTE'S ANNUAL KAHLIL GIBRAN GALA

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice
Remarks at the Arab American Institute’s Annual Kahlil Gibran Gala
Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
As Prepared

Good evening everyone. It’s wonderful to be back at the Kahlil Gibran Gala. I had the honor of attending five years ago, when I wished the Arab American Institute a happy 25th anniversary. Tonight, I’m proud to extend my best wishes in honor of your 30th year. Should I look forward to seeing you again in 2020?

Thank you, Jim, for that wonderful introduction. Jim is a dear friend, and I have always admired your commitment to our founding ideals—that everyone is equal, that every voice matters. You and I share the belief that America’s limitless diversity is a source of profound national strength.

That’s the ethos behind AAI. We need to hear Arab-American voices and concerns just as we need to hear from every American—regardless of heritage or faith; gender, race, or sexual orientation. And, it’s up to all of us to push back against the hatred and ignorance that are so damaging to our country and our world. So, thank you, AAI, for your leadership representing this proud and vital community. Let me also add my congratulations to tonight’s honorees for the enormous good you do as advocates and educators.

Arab Americans have been at the forefront of advancing our national security and our shared domestic interests for more than a century. They serve with dedication across our armed forces, many making the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Leading diplomats and politicians and public servants of Arab descent, including many here tonight, work tirelessly to make our world a more peaceful place. Thank you for what you do.

As a country, in the 30 years since AAI was founded we’ve come a long way. You’ve led the way to overcome barriers of exclusion and intolerance, and to make sure Arab Americans are full participants in our democracy. You’ve helped shape our government’s response on a range of civil rights and civil liberties issues, leading coalitions to ensure all ethnic and religious minorities receive equal protection under the law. And, I’m so proud that AAI is supporting the next generation of Arab-American leaders who will continue to strengthen our country.

Leaders like Sherin Nassar. Sherin’s double majoring in International Affairs and Economics at George Washington University with a plan to join the Foreign Service after college. Ever since high school, she’s dedicated herself to helping others—volunteering hundreds of hours with Habitat for Humanity. This year, she used her winter break to help build a school in Nicaragua. This summer, she’s heading to China to help rural children learn English. And, at GW, she’s worked in student government to expand accessibility for her classmates with disabilities. Thank you, Sherin, for your commitment to others.

Leaders like Ahmad Abuznaid. Ahmad was born in East Jerusalem, and his Arab-American heritage sparked in him a lifelong passion for social justice. After graduating from law school, rather than pursuing a corporate job, he co-founded The Dream Defenders, a group dedicated to changing the culture that marginalizes minority communities and to training young people of color to be our future leaders. He’s helped lead non-violent protests and advocated for important policy changes.  He’s even testified before the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights. So thank you, Ahmad, for taking on big challenges.

Sherin and Ahmad—like all of this year’s award winners—capture the spirit of humanity we celebrate tonight. Unfortunately, as we know too well, there are those in the world who choose violence over working for peaceful change, and many of today’s biggest challenges come together in the Middle East. So, let me briefly touch on some of the ways we are responding to current crises and working to improve security in the region.

First, we continue to believe that a comprehensive peace between Israelis and Palestinians is necessary, just, and possible. The United States remains firmly committed to an independent, viable, and contiguous Palestinian state living alongside a democratic, Jewish State of Israel in peace and security. President Obama has made clear that we need to take a hard look at our approach to the conflict, and that resolving it is in the national security interest of the United States. We look to the next Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority to demonstrate—through policies and actions—a genuine commitment to a two-state solution.

We know what a peace agreement should look like—Israel and an independent Palestine both need secure and recognized borders, based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps. There must be robust provisions for Israel’s security. The occupation must end, and the Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves in their own sovereign state. That’s why, like every U.S. administration since 1967, we have opposed Israeli settlement activity and efforts to change facts on the ground. It only makes it harder to negotiate peace in good faith.

We’re also working to address the lasting impact and human toll of last summer’s conflict in Gaza. Incremental progress has been made, but we must accelerate reconstruction efforts and address core challenges to Gaza’s future, including reinvigorating Gaza’s connection with the West Bank and reestablishing strong commercial links with Israel and the global economy.

Second, we’ve assembled a coalition of more than 60 partners to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL. Together, we’ve conducted more than 3,500 airstrikes in both Iraq and Syria, damaging or destroying upwards of 5,700 ISIL targets. ISIL has lost control of 25 to 30 percent of the populated areas it had seized in Iraq. We are also working closely with our Iraqi partners to stabilize and rebuild the country, making sure that local populations can return and live safely in areas liberated from ISIL.

In Syria, we’ve made some progress slowing, and in some cases reversing, ISIL’s advance. But, we won’t be able to fully root out ISIL—and the Syrian people will continue to suffer—as long as the war in Syria persists. As we have long said, there is no military solution to this conflict. Secretary Kerry and his team all throughout the Administration have tirelessly pursued a negotiated political transition, and we will continue to do so. But, the Syrian people need help now. That’s why the United States has committed more than $3.5 billion in humanitarian funding—more than any other country—to help ease the terrible suffering of the Syrian people.

We’re also supporting the surrounding countries who are confronting massive challenges hosting Syrian refugees. There are more than 1.2 million Syrians just in Lebanon. To date, we’ve provided nearly $800 million in humanitarian assistance to aid Syrians living in Lebanon and to support Lebanese host communities with essential services such as emergency food supplies, clean water, and health care.

As in Syria, there is no military solution to the crisis in Yemen, and the humanitarian situation will only worsen if the conflict continues. We’re working with all parties to end the violence so that U.N.-led political negotiations can resume promptly and humanitarian access can be restored. We’re also closely monitoring the safety of U.S. citizens in Yemen, including offering opportunities for evacuation.

Finally, even as we’re facing difficult challenges, we’re strengthening our vital relationships in the region. In a few weeks, President Obama will welcome the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to Camp David to reaffirm our strong partnership, improve our security cooperation, and discuss how we can work together to end the region’s conflicts.

And, as you know, together with our P5+1 partners, we recently reached a political framework for Iran’s nuclear program. This is a good deal that, if finalized and implemented, will address a serious threat to the United States, the region, and the entire world.  But, I want to be clear that, if there is a deal, it does not mean we will cease to confront Iran’s destabilizing role in the region. Rather, we would be ensuring that Iran cannot become an even more destructive force by gaining a nuclear weapon.

There are no quick fixes. But, the United States is committed to working with our partners to do everything we can to promote greater security, prosperity, and dignity throughout the Middle East.

In the past year, I’ve had the privilege to meet with college students getting a world-class education at NYU’s campus in Abu Dhabi. I met with Palestinian youth in Ramallah, eager to build a more hopeful future for their people. And, I hosted the Peace Players, a group of Israeli and Palestinian teens, boys and girls, who use basketball to bridge political differences for a pickup game on the White House court. These young people are no different from Sherin and Ahmad. They have big dreams and bold ideas. They are a powerful testament to our common humanity. And, for their sake—for all the children of the region who deserve a bright future—we will continue to push forward. As we do, we ask for your continued partnership, support, and friendship.

Thank you so much.

DOD REPORT ON RECENT AIRSTRIKES IN SYRIA AND IRAQ

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Airstrikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 28, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
Airstrikes in Syria

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted four airstrikes in Syria:

-- Near Hasakah, three airstrikes struck two ISIL fighting positions, destroying an ISIL armored vehicle.

-- Near Kobani, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 16 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Huwayjah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL staging areas.

-- Near Beiji, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL warehouses and an ISIL motorcycle.

-- Near Fallujah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL vehicle bombs, an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL heavy machine gun.

-- Near Mosul, five airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and two ISIL checkpoints, destroying two ISIL excavators, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Ramadi, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL excavator.

-- Near Sinjar, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL building and an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Tal Afar, three airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units, destroying an ISIL excavator, an ISIL building and an ISIL machine gun.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

UN AMBASSADOR POWER'S REMARKS ON YOUTH AND COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Mission to the United Nations: Remarks at a UN Security Council Debate on the Maintenance of International Peace and Security: the Role of Youth in Countering Violent Extremism and Promoting Peace
04/23/2015 12:27 PM EDT
Samantha Power
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
New York, NY
April 23, 2015
AS DELIVERED

Thank you, your Royal Highness Crown Prince, for joining the Council to chair this meeting, your presence here is yet another testament to Jordan’s deep commitment to combatting violent extremism among youth and people of all ages.

This Monday, April 20th, six young Somali-American men – ages 19 to 21 – were charged in Minneapolis on terrorism related offenses. They had planned to travel to Syria to join ISIL. Five of the six were U.S. citizens, and one was a permanent resident.

The young men had reportedly been inspired in part by another Somali-American, Abdi Nur, who left the same city in May 2014, shortly after his 20th birthday, and joined ISIL in Syria. And they had in part been encouraged by one another – what is known as peer-to-peer recruiting – through regular meetings to plan their trip and discuss their violent ideology.

Their case is just one of the many recent instances in which young people have attempted to join ISIL or other terrorist groups. In some instances, as in the Minneapolis arrests, we have succeeded in stopping youth before they could reach their destination. In other instances, we have not, as happened in February, when three British girls – ages 15 to 16 – traveled to Turkey, and likely onwards to ISIL-controlled territory, where they presumably remain.

ISIL is showing increased sophistication in recruiting young people, particularly in virtual spaces. The group disseminates around ninety thousand tweets each day, and its members and supporters routinely co-opt trending hashtags to disseminate their messages. ISIL even reportedly developed a Twitter app last year that allows Twitter subscribers to hand over control of their feed to ISIL – allowing ISIL to tweet from the individual subscriber’s account, exponentially amplifying the reach of its messages. In February, ISIL posted a polished, 50-page guide online called, “The Hijrah to the Islamic State,” that instructs potential recruits how to make the journey to its territory – including everything from finding safe houses in Turkey, to what kind of backpack to bring, and how to answer questions from immigration officials without arousing suspicion. And it’s not just ISIL that is aggressively targeting children and youth – but al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, and other groups.

There is a clear consensus that we – and by we of course, I mean not only the United States, but all countries committed to combatting terrorist groups – must make countering violent extremism a central part of our counter terrorism efforts. And this is particularly true among children and teens, whose youth makes them especially vulnerable to recruitment. Yet even with increased attention to this problem, the reality is that we are being outspent, outflanked, and out-innovated by terrorist groups intent on recruiting new young members. We have to catch up – for their welfare, and for our collective security.

That is one of the reasons we are looking forward to the Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Counter Violent Extremism, which we hope will galvanize the UN to take a leading role in empowering and uniting Member States to tackle this very grave problem. And it is one of the main reasons President Obama convened a White House Summit to Counter Violent Extremism on February 19th. More than 60 governments took part in the summit – including most of the members of this Council – together with civil society representatives from over 50 countries and private sector leaders. And as many of you know, we are looking forward to a leaders summit on the margins of the General Assembly in September, to evaluate the progress that has been made and the challenges that most definitely remain to implement the White House’s CVE Agenda.

One of the participants in the White House’s February summit was a young Moroccan woman named Zineb Benalla. Zineb works for the Arab Center for Scientific Research, an NGO that, with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development, has helped lead an innovative effort to counter violent extremism in northern Mali. As you all know, terrorist groups seized large swaths of the region in 2012, and continue to carry out attacks and recruit young people. Zineb’s project was focused on reaching vulnerable youth studying in the region’s madrasas. Research showed that madrasa instructors were teaching only religious texts and focusing mainly on rote memorization; Zineb’s program aimed to broaden the curriculum to foster more critical thinking and reasoning skills – skills that help young people question, and ultimately reject, the narrow ideologies of terrorist groups.

Zineb did not go directly to the schools, knowing that she would be turned away. Instead, she met repeatedly with imams and elders in Timbuktu and Gao – gradually earning their trust over cups of tea. When eventually she laid out the proposal to start book clubs in the madrasas, they accepted. With the backing of the imams, these imams and these elders, students and teachers were given e-Readers, and allowed to download books that previously would have been considered “haram,” or sinful, such as works of philosophy and novels. She then organized workshops where she trained dozens of educators in how to teach the new material.

Now, this is a narrow program designed for a specific set of circumstances. But Zineb’s story demonstrates several key lessons about how to build efforts to counter violent extremism among young people.

First, education is of course essential to developing the critical thinking skills that empower youth to challenge violent extremist ideologies. We’ve seen similar efforts undertaken on a broader scale by the government of Morocco and others, Morocco is working to replace teachers and imams who promote violent extremist ideologies with ones who hold up the values of respect and dignity, and preach more moderate interpretations of Islam.

Second, the trust and support of local actors is critically important – and that includes not only government officials, but religious and civil society leaders, and even families. As the first and most important line of defense in protecting youth, communities need the tools to do their part. The Safe Spaces Initiative – a guide created by the Muslim Public Affairs Council to help communities implement a multi-tiered strategy of prevention, intervention, and ejection of violent extremist elements – is just one example of a resource that informs communities how to be more active partners.

Third, as others have stressed here today, we need to enlist youth themselves in leading this effort. Research shows that young people are more likely to listen to, and be influenced by, their peers. Yet too often, we approach youth as the passive recipients of campaigns to counter violent extremism, rather than active participants in shaping their strategy and spearheading their implementation. We’ve seen how powerful youth-led initiatives can be, including those that use satire. That was the approach Karim Farok adopted. An amateur Egyptian musician, Karim took an ISIL chant and remixed it into a pop song, posting his version on social media sites. While his action may at first glance look like a way of amplifying ISIL’s message, in reality Karim’s remix was a form of protest, because ISIL’s fundamentalist interpretation of Islam forbids music with instruments. By transgressing the group’s rules, Karim’s song encouraged others to express criticism as well, rather than be silenced by fear. Not only did his remix go viral, garnering hundreds of thousands of views, but it also spawned countless other musical and dancing spoofs of ISIL chants – a potent form of counter-extremist messaging that kids can relate to.

Of course, we must pursue other lines of effort in countering violent extremism among youth as well, such as strengthening laws and international coordination to stop the flow of young foreign terrorist fighters to battlefields, as we committed to do under Resolution 2178; and enlisting the private sector in amplifying our message, as Google Ideas has done through the launch of its Against Violent Extremism Network, which has given a platform to more than 500 rehabilitated former extremists. We need to do more on all of these fronts.

At the beginning, I spoke about the six young men from Minneapolis who were detained earlier this week. One of the main reasons that they were stopped from joining ISIL was because a young man who had originally planned to join with them experienced a change in conscience. He took a step back, he saw the group’s violent intentions for what they were, and he decided to report the group to law enforcement. Without his action, those young men may well have made it to ISIL-controlled territory, where they could have taken part in the group’s horrific atrocities. That young man’s choice shows how a single changed mind – just one person who starts to think differently, and more compassionately – can disrupt and ultimately stop a dangerous action by many people. That is a valuable lesson in countering violent extremism, and ultimately, it is what our efforts are all about.

Thank you.

U.S. COALITION FORCES ARE CONTINUING AIRSTRIKES IN IRAQ, SYRIA

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
U.S., Coalition Forces Continue Airstrikes Against ISIL
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, April 26, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Syria

Fighter and attack aircraft conducted three airstrikes in Syria:
-- Near Al Hasakah, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

-- Near Kobani, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL fighting position.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Fighter, attack, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 17 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Al Hawayjah, three airstrikes struck two ISIL staging areas and an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Bayji, six airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, two ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL bunkers, two ISIL structures, an ISIL mortar tube and an ISIL warehouse.
-- Near Fallujah, five airstrikes struck four ISIL tactical units, destroying an ISIL armored personnel carrier, an ISIL dump truck, an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL heavy machine gun.

-- Near Mosul, an airstrike struck an ISIL large tactical unit, destroying an ISIL weapons cache and an ISIL tunnel system.

-- Near Ramadi, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

AMBASSADOR POWER'S REMARKS ON CRISIS IN DEIR EZ-ZOUR

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Samantha Power
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
New York, NY
April 24, 2015
AS DELIVERED

Thank you, Minister Judeh, for dedicating today’s meeting to a crisis that so urgently demands the world’s attention. And thank you to our briefers – Under Secretary-General Amos, High Commissioner Guterres, Executive Director Cousin, and Special Envoy Jolie – for your appropriately stark, firm, and extremely moving briefings.

The United States would also like to recognize the dedicated humanitarian workers serving in UN agencies and other organizations who are putting their lives on the line to get assistance to people in the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. People like the two Syrian Arab Red Crescent workers who were killed on April 3rd while retrieving bodies of the deceased and preparing shelters for the displaced in Idlib. And people who are constantly looking for ways around seemingly endless obstacles to delivering vital aid, like WHO staffers who took advantage of a six-hour ceasefire last month in Aleppo to deliver medical supplies across lines. They reached 5,000 people – using pull-carts.

In Deir ez-Zour, approximately 228,000 residents are caught between ISIL, which has circled the city and systematically cut off humanitarian access, and regime forces, which prevent people from leaving. On April 13th, a one-year-old reportedly starved to death, and NGOs are receiving reports of young girls trading sexual acts for bread. While the ICRC was able to reach Deir ez-Zour with three airlifts in recent days – the first aid deliveries to the besieged city in nearly a year – residents of all ages remain on the brink of starvation.

Ghastly as it is, the situation in Deir ez-Zour is not an outlier. We are all well aware of the ongoing crisis in Yarmouk, where many thousands of Palestinians are still trapped and cut off from vital assistance. In Yarmouk, it is regime forces that are doing the blockading, as they have for more than two years. And since moving into Yarmouk weeks ago, ISIL and other armed groups have only exacerbated the suffering of residents by further limiting their movements.

As several of the briefers noted, the UN estimates that 440,000 civilians in Syria are living in besieged areas where most aid cannot get in and most people cannot get out. Only four percent of people living in besieged areas received food deliveries last month. Four percent. Health assistance reached less than one-third of one percent – 0.3 percent – of civilians living in besieged areas.

Siege is just one tactic used to prevent vital humanitarian aid from reaching people in need. According to the UN’s most recent report, nine WHO requests to deliver health assistance to locations in Aleppo, Daraa, Idlib and other governorates have gone unanswered by the regime. While life-saving medical supplies sit in warehouses, people die on operating tables; in crowded, ill-equipped field hospitals; and even in their homes – all from wounds and illnesses that would be treated with adequate resources. Meanwhile, nineteen requests for interagency convoys, which aim to reach the hardest-hit areas, are pending approval by the regime. Many have been stuck in limbo for months, exacerbating suffering and even causing death by bureaucratic delay. What possible excuse is there to not respond to a UN request? There is no excuse.

These tactics demonstrate the immense gap between the demands of this Council and the actions on the ground by parties in this conflict, particularly the Assad regime. Security Council resolutions 2165 and 2191 direct all Syrian parties to enable the immediate and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance by the UN and their implementing partners, yet the regime and ISIL are deliberately blocking such aid. And rather than fulfill their obligation to protect civilians, each – ISIL and the regime – deliberately targets civilians to advance their aims. We are past the point of highlighting or lamenting this enduring gap; we must come together to close it. The survival of millions of Syrians demands it – not to mention the credibility of this Council’s word. Our resolutions are currently being ridiculed by the Syrian regime. In the immediate term, aid must be allowed to reach besieged areas, and people must be allowed to leave besieged areas. Imagine being trapped – just imagine being a parent and being trapped.

International monitoring is crucial to ensuring that civilians leaving such areas are not arbitrarily detained, separated from their families, or harmed in any way – as happened in February 2014, when hundreds of people disappeared as they passed through government-controlled areas while leaving the besieged city of Homs.

Syria’s neighbors have shown remarkable generosity in helping those trapped in Syria as well as those who have managed to escape. Of the nearly four million people who have fled Syria, Turkey has taken in a staggering 1.7 million refugees. One in every four people in Lebanon is a Syrian refugee. And this unprecedented influx has demanded countries take robust measures to accommodate the new populations. In Jordan, for example, where the population of some northern cities has doubled since the arrival of more than 620,000 Syrian refugees, the government worked with development and humanitarian groups to come up with a comprehensive plan to respond to refugees’ diverse needs – from health and education, to security and drinking water.

While Syria’s neighbors have already welcomed unprecedented numbers of refugees, we strongly urge these countries to keep their borders open and ease restrictions that prevent the most vulnerable from reaching refuge. If the international community is going to ask more of Syria’s neighbors, who have already done so much, we cannot allow them to shoulder the impact of sheltering millions of refugees alone. And that is why, in addition to the $556 million that the U.S. has provided Jordan to support refugee programs and host communities since the start of the Syrian conflict, we announced our intention in February to increase annual bilateral assistance from $660 million to $1 billion over the next three years, given the extraordinary needs generated by this crisis and the extraordinary generosity of Syria’s neighbors.

In addition to helping Syria’s neighbors, all countries, including the United States, must welcome displaced Syrians in greater numbers. As the recent catastrophes involving refugees attempting to cross the Mediterranean demonstrate – many of the victims of which have been Syrians – people are willing to take tremendous risks to escape their country’s brutal violence. Just this week, Turkey’s coast guard rescued thirty Syrians aboard a sinking boat trying to reach Greece.

The disparity between what the international community is providing and what the Syrian people need is growing. At the end of last month, the Secretary-General convened a conference, together with the government of Kuwait, to raise funds toward the $8.4 billion that the UN needs to respond to the crisis. Only $3.6 billion has been pledged toward that goal. It is critically important that all countries, including members of this Council, make more substantive contributions. And it’s important that those countries that have pledged actually deliver promptly. The United States announced a new $507 million pledge in Kuwait last month, which brought our total contributions to Syria since the crisis began to $3.2 billion.

Today, in response to the devastating crisis in Yarmouk, we are announcing an additional $6 million in aid to UNRWA, to provide urgent assistance, both for the many thousands still trapped in Yarmouk and for other Palestinians and Syrians receiving a lifeline from the agency.

But even as we seek to fill these gaps, we must not lose sight of the foundational reason that Syria’s population needs humanitarian assistance, and that is the Assad regime. A regime that continues to torture, gas, barrel-bomb, and starve its own people. A regime whose brutality fed the rise of ISIL and other violent extremist groups in Syria. A regime that, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, killed an average of five children per day last month alone.

Let us be clear, ISIL could disappear tomorrow and the regime would still block UN convoys, ignore UN appeals and UN Security Council resolutions, torture detainees in its prisons, and use barrel bombs and chlorine chemical weapons to attack civilians. Partnering with a regime like this would not help us defeat violent extremist groups – it would only strengthen their appeal. The only viable political solution to this crisis is one without Assad in power; a political push at the highest levels, and a sincere and united effort to secure a political transition, is urgently needed and, of course, long overdue.

Let me conclude. National Geographic recently organized a photography camp in Jordan for teenage refugees from Syria. Twenty kids, ages 13 to 15, spent a week using cameras and words to tell their stories. A slideshow of some of their photos is online and I urge you all to look at it. A common thread cuts across the testimonies of the young Syrians: they want to go home. One participant, fourteen year-old Abdullah, fled to Jordan from Daraa three years ago. For an assignment to take a self-portrait, he took one with his face covered – a way, he said, to make himself anonymous. Speaking about his future, Abdullah said: “I hope to become an engineer and rebuild Syria, house by house, and build the biggest hospitals, the biggest mosques, the biggest schools, build bakeries, and rebuild our home…Insha’Allah, we will rebuild Syria the best we can. We are going to make Syria the most beautiful country and restore the life in it.”

Abdullah and so many young people from his generation are waiting to go home and rebuild. Who would deny them that opportunity? And who better than Syria’s young to motivate and unite us, the members of this Security Council, to work relentlessly to enforce our own resolutions so as to mitigate the suffering of the Syrian people and to find a political solution to this devastating conflict.

Thank you.

SPECIAL OPS WEAKENING TERRORISTS SAYS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENCE LUMPKIN

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  Michael D. Lumpkin, assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, addresses the Defense Department's policy and programs to counter threats to the nation from terrorism and irregular warfare during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities, April 21, 2015. DoD screen shot.
 
Special Ops Forces Weakening Terrorist Groups, DoD Official Says
By Terri Moon Cronk
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2015 – U.S. special operations forces are successfully taking direct action against multiple global terrorist organizations while building U.S. partner capacity, a top Defense Department official told a Senate panel today.

Michael D. Lumpkin, assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, addressed DoD’s policy and programs to counter threats to the nation from terrorism and irregular warfare during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities.
Special operations forces provide “a small but vital component of our comprehensive approach to counterterrorism,” Lumpkin said, taking steps to understand and address multiple global threats including terrorist networks, a flow of foreign fighters, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and activities undertaken or sponsored by other states.

Deployed around the world, special operations forces work closely with U.S. allies and partners to leverage the nation’s respective strengths and capabilities against common threats, he added.

AUMF Critical to Special Forces

The nation’s special operations forces are a “unique asset,” Lumpkin said, an asset that can be effective only when DoD has authority to employ them properly through Authorized Use of Military Force legislation.

“I fully support our president’s AUMF to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant,” the assistant secretary said, adding that the authorization would “provide appropriate flexibility to confront ISIL’s affiliates where conditions merit.”

The president’s proposed legislation also would signal to U.S. allies and enemies that the United States is serious about addressing future permutations of this expanding threat.

“I urge you to favorably consider it,” Lumpkin told the panel.
By making thousands of strikes against ISIL leadership and its forces, special operations forces weakened the enemy’s ability to exert external territorial control and challenged the foundation of its propaganda, he said.

Special Forces Expanding its Reach

Yet while U.S. special operations forces work to destroy ISIL in Syria and Iraq, they also are expanding their reach into Africa and Southeast Asia, Lumpkin said.

“The recent killings of civilians in Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen [and] Tunisia … highlight the expanding nature of the threat,” he pointed out. In West Africa, special operations forces are partnered with local and European allies to degrade the extremist Islamic group Boko Haram, which recently pledged allegiance to ISIL, Lumpkin said.

With what he described as a relatively modest investment of personnel and resources, he said, special operations forces and U.S. allies are exerting “significant pressure” on Boko Haram and its facilitation network.
Concern About Libya

“I’m deeply concerned that the lack of unity of government and the deteriorating situation in Libya has created a safe haven for militias and terrorist organizations,” Lumpkin said. “ISIL’s increased popularity and presence in Libya highlight the need to quickly achieve a lasting political solution.”

Across Africa, special operations forces are working with local and regional forces and European allies to degrade terrorist groups, Lumpkin noted. “These efforts have had significant disruptive effects on these organizations,” he said.
Special Ops Continue Work in Yemen

Lumpkin said he is troubled by the ongoing military aggression the Houthis are perpetuating in Yemen, and by the resulting unstable security conditions that are widespread in that country. But special operations forces will continue to contribute to the broader U.S. efforts to restore stability in Yemen, and degrade al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula,” he told the panel.

The U.S. special operations forces represent a relatively small slice of the U.S. government’s efforts against these threats, Lumpkin said. “However,” he added, “they are achieving meaningful and positive effects.”

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH PORTUGUESE MINISTER OF STATE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS RUI MACHETE

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks With Portuguese Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Rui Machete
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Treaty Room
Washington, DC
April 21, 2015

SECRETARY KERRY: Good morning, everybody. Bom dia. It’s my pleasure to welcome Foreign Minister Machete here back to Washington, and I’m delighted to be able to have a chance to talk with him about important issues between our countries.

Portugal, as everybody knows, is an old and firm ally of the United States, a NATO ally. And we’re particularly grateful for Portugal’s many efforts of global responsibility, not the least of which now are their support in the coalition against ISIL, their commitment to counterterrorism, their support for sanctions with respect to the Russian activities in Ukraine and our efforts to try to implement the Minsk agreement, which we all believe will help to quiet things down and stabilize the region and be good for everybody. We also are grateful for their support for our efforts in Iraq. And there is a very significant effort by Portugal to exercise responsibility towards the environment, towards the oceans, particularly the Gulf of Guinea.

So we appreciate it – that leadership – very much. And I know recently Portugal, like other countries in Europe, has been making difficult economic choices. And I want to congratulate Portugal on the fact that it is growing. We want to see that continue. We have high hopes, but we welcome you here. So thank you very much. We’re happy to have you here.

FOREIGN MINISTER MACHETE: Thank you very much. For me, it’s a great pleasure to come back to Washington and to see John Kerry again. We will have to talk about important international issues such as terrorism, Iran and the nuclear negotiations, and to congratulate John Kerry by the results and the negotiable – strong-willed stand in which – with which he led the negotiations, with of course the problems of the Middle East and terrorism.

And we have to talk about the bilateral problems we have on agenda. We have some difficulties to settle, but they are not – this is natural among allies. So we expect to have a good conversation. Thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you. Welcome. Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.

OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  Iraqi army soldiers with 73rd Brigade, 15th Division, look on as U.S. instructors from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, discuss movement techniques and squad-level tactics at a training area on Camp Taji, Iraq, March 24, 2015. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Cody Quinn.  

Inside the Coalition to Defeat ISIL

By Army Staff Sgt. Bryan Dominique

Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 21, 2015 – Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve is the U.S.-led coalition’s response to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorist group, often referred to as Daesh.

Formed in October 2014 to counter ISIL’s sweeping takeover of territory in Iraq and Syria last summer, the task force brings to bear more than 60 countries in the fight against ISIL.

“The coalition exists to counter Daesh in Iraq [and] Syria,” said Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Thomas D. Weidley, the chief of staff for CJTF-OIR. “Those operations [conducted] in Syria enable Iraqi security forces as they force Daesh to re-allocate their resources to the Syrian theater.

“All of our coalition contributions,” Weidley continued, “are directed at achieving success in our mission, which is to degrade and ultimately defeat Daesh.”

Air Superiority

The most visible action taken has been in the form of airstrikes. CJTF-OIR has relied on its coalition air superiority, launching more than 3,200 airstrikes against ISIL targets in both Iraq and Syria since operations began in August 2014.

“Our deliberate targeting process involves many levels of review. We look at those targets for hours and hours to understand the pattern of life, and all airstrikes in Iraq are approved by the Ministry of Defense,” Weidley said. “It’s a process that’s resulted in airstrike success across Iraq and Syria.”

The coalition’s other main effort is training the Iraqi security forces through a program called Building Partner Capacity. The coalition has nearly a thousand military trainers and advisers in Iraq at five separate sites, where they train Iraqi and Kurdish security forces through four- to six-week periods of instruction to prepare them for anti-ISIL operations.

The BPC site trainers are composed of a host of countries.

“We developed the BPC construct to allow coalition trainers to go into Iraq at agreed-upon sites and get [the ISF] capable of taking on [ISIL],” Weidley said. “We’re not building U.S. equivalent units.”

Building Iraqi Military Capacity to Defeat ISIL

Weidley sees the defeat of ISIL resting largely on the coalition’s ability to build the military capacity of Iraq.

Build Partner Capacity “allows us to latch-on to an equivalent entity and provide that guidance, assistance and perspective,” Weidley said. “We continue to push more units through our BPC sites. Combine that with the enablers we bring -- fires, intelligence, partnership at the headquarters level -- helps generate momentum. ISF has continued to counter ISIL’s episodic attacks.”

He added that the BPC mission has continued to build Iraq’s military capabilities, citing the development of small-unit leaders and the ability to conduct counter-improvised explosive device missions and obstacle clearing and breaching.

The strategy has been embraced by Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who said to troops during his visit to the region that a lasting defeat against ISIL requires the military capacity of local forces “because they must take the lead and take responsibility.”

DEFENSE SECRETARY CARTER, UAE CROWN PRINCE AL NAHYAN DISCUSS DEFENSE

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, left, meets with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates to discuss the U.S.-UAE bilateral defense relationship and other issues in Washington, D.C., April 20, 2015.  DoD photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Clydell Kinchen. 

Carter, UAE Crown Prince Discuss Bilateral Defense Relationship
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2015 – Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates discussed the U.S.-UAE bilateral defense relationship and other issues during a meeting here yesterday, according to a Defense Department statement.

Carter emphasized the importance of the U.S.-UAE strategic partnership and reiterated both countries’ shared commitment to ensuring a stable and secure Middle East, the statement said.

The secretary also lauded bilateral security cooperation between the two countries and commended the UAE's efforts to work with the United States to expand regional military collaboration, according to the statement.

The meeting ended with a discussion of regional issues, including the Gulf Cooperation Council-led air campaign in Yemen, the coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and ongoing regional negotiations.

DOD REPORTS ON FURTHER AIRSTRIKES AGAINST ISIL

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 21, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Syria

Attack, fighter and bomber aircraft conducted six airstrikes in Syria:

-- Near Hasakah, four airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units and an ISIL checkpoint, destroying four ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL vehicles.

-- Near Kobani, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle and two ISIL fighting positions.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Fighter, attack, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 22 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. These strikes are a result of Iraqi security and Kurdish forces conducting simultaneous offensive operations:
-- Near Asad, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL building and an ISIL excavator.

-- Near Huwayjah, two airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL mortar system.

-- Near Beiji, four airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL anti-aircraft artillery weapons, two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL fighting position.
-- Near Fallujah, four airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying an ISIL vehicle bomb, an ISIL fighting position, and an ISIL roadside bomb.
-- Near Mosul, four airstrikes struck an ISIL staging area, an ISIL bomb factory and multiple ISIL fighting positions.

-- Near Ramadi, three airstrikes struck an ISIL large and small tactical unit, destroying three ISIL fighting positions.

-- Near Sinjar, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying three ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL buildings.

-- Near Tal Afar, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL heavy machine guns, two ISIL buildings and an ISIL recoilless rifle.
All aircraft returned to base safely.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.