U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend
Time: Military Under Trump 'More Aggressive' in Fight Against ISIS, U.S. Commander Says
President Donald Trump's decision to grant his military "total authorization" to make combat decisions has allowed the armed forces to be "more aggressive" in the fight against the Islamic State, according to the outgoing commander of U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq and Syria.
“It has freed us up a bit to prosecute the war in a more aggressive manner, I think,” said Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, head of Operation Inherent Resolve, in an interview with TIME coinciding with his departure from the role he has held since August 2016.
Under Townsend, the American-led military coalition has seen a critical phase of the war against the Islamic State that included the liberation by Iraqi forces of the city of Mosul and the launch of the operation on ISIS’ capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa. In July, Iraqi troops backed by U.S. airpower reconquered Mosul following a nine-month battle including long periods of intense street-to-street fighting. The twin battles for Mosul and Raqqa have proved a turning point, milestones on the road to the Islamic State’s eventual loss of its territorial empire.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: The new General to head the anti-IS coalition is Lieutenant General Paul Funk .... New US commander takes control of anti-IS coalition (AFP).
