The Pentagon says it will deliver to President Trump a new plan to accelerate the defeat of the Islamic State by next Tuesday, within the 30-day timeframe he requested.
“We are on track to deliver it on time,” said Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, briefing reporters at the Pentagon Tuesday.
“This is going to be a comprehensive, whole-of-government plan that’s going to address not only the core ISIS in Iraq and Syria, but it’s going to address the other areas where ISIS has sprung up,” Davis said.
In his Jan. 28 executive order, the president requested a “comprehensive strategy” to defeat ISIS, along with recommendations for changes in the rules of engagement to remove, as far as international law permits, any restrictions on the use of force.
He also asked for “a detailed strategy to robustly fund the plan.”
The Pentagon says the plan goes far beyond increased military force, but also includes new diplomatic initiatives and ways to squeeze ISIS financially, and extends beyond ongoing campaigns in Iraq and Syria.
“As you know we have seen ISIS spring up in other places, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, even Southeast Asia,” Davis said. “It will address that as well.”
Davis said there will be no public announcement of the specifics of the draft plan, consistent with the president’s desire not to tip off ISIS as to what’s coming.
“These will be decisions that will be made once the recommendations are privately made to the president,” Davis said. “I think you’ve heard the president say before, we don’t want to telegraph our strategy and our future activities to our enemies.”
In his White House news conference last week, Trump again mocked the Obama administration for announcing its plans in public statements.
“I’m not going to tell you anything about what response I do. I don’t talk about military response,” Trump said. “I don’t say I’m going into Mosul in four months.”
