Defense Secretary Ash Carter said he will talk with his commanders in the coming days to identify additional ways the US can intensify the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, including more airstrikes, cyber attacks and American troops on the ground. The US wants to do more in the fight, Carter said, and is “only limited by our own ingenuity” and ideas. Carter expressed confidence that the White House will approve recommendations, saying nothing he has asked President Barack Obama for yet in the conflicts has been turned down. Carter spoke to reporters at Al-Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi, an important launching point for military operations against the Isis group in the region. His visit comes as the US is considering moves to boost the number of American troops in Iraq, as well as other steps to help the Iraqis, and as the Pentagon announced a new round of bombing. Air strikes by the US and its allies on Friday hit 15 Isis targets in Iraq and three in Syria, the Pentagon said on Saturday. Four of the strikes in Iraq were near Mosul, striking an Islamic State tactical unit and 10 boats. In Syria, the strikes were near Mar’a and hit Islamic State tactical units. The Syrian government also hit rebel-held areas with air strikes on Saturday, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. The group said that three people were killed in a rebel bombardment of government-held districts, and opposition sources also claimed deaths, though with conflicting figures. Carter suggested the US may consider shifting the nature of its military campaign against the extremists, adding there could be more rapid targeting of the enemy as intelligence on the ground improves. “As we’ve learned more and are more on top of the enemy, you can do more dynamic targeting,” Carter said. Late last month, General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that he and Carter believe there will be an increase in US forces in Iraq in the coming weeks. Any final decision would be worked out with the Iraqi government and require Obama’s approval. It is unclear whether the increase would force the White House to formally approve a higher cap on troop levels in Iraq, now set at 3,780. According to US officials, however, there are actually as many as 5,000 American forces in the country, but some do not count against the cap because they are in Iraq on temporary duty. Dunford and Carter have said that accelerating the fight against Isis could mean using Apache helicopters for combat missions, deploying more US special operations forces or using American military advisers in Iraqi units closer to the front lines. The US is likely to provide additional artillery fire and targeting help for Iraqi forces advancing on Mosul. Those American forces, however, would remain well behind the front lines. One American marine was killed last month by an Isis rocket attack on a US base in Iraq. Carter has said that Obama and other US leaders will encourage other Gulf nations to contribute economically to the effort to rebuild Iraq once Isis is defeated. Obama and other US officials are expected to attend the US-Gulf Cooperation Council leaders’ summit next week in Saudi Arabia. The six member countries are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. Carter said Saturday that the US hopes that the Gulf nations will support Iraq politically as it tries to establish a more successful multi-sectarian government. During his visit to the air base, Carter spoke with troops, including those who have been flying and supporting the airstrikes over Iraq and Syria. Two large Global Hawk surveillance aircraft, an F-22 Raptor fighter jet and and F-15E strike fighter were arrayed in the hangar where Carter spoke. UA air force colonel Johnny Barnes, the vice commander of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, told reporters Russian fighters in Syria haven’t impeded US airstrikes. But he acknowledged that there were moments in northwest Syria when the Russian jets were an “inconvenience”. Now that some have left the country, he said it’s been “less inconvenient”. Reuters contributed to this report.
US Defense Secretary, Ash Carter, has said that he will talk to commanders in coming days to try to identify more ways that the US can intensify operations against ISIS. Among the options are; further airstrikes, cyber attacks, and deploying more US troops on the ground. Carter revealed he was confident that whichever strategy was put forward would be approved. He also suggested that the US might look to shift its campaign, suggesting that as on-the-ground intelligence improved, there may more be rapid targeting of ISIS.