Hagel: ISIS campaign is making progress

The military campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is making progress, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Hagel asked lawmakers to be patient with the effort to push back against the Islamist group in the Middle East.

{mosads}“We are three months into a multi-year effort. ISIL’s advance in parts of Iraq has stalled, and in some cases been reversed, by Iraqi, Kurdish, and tribal forces supported by U.S. and coalition airstrikes,” Hagel said in prepared remarks, using an alternate acronym for the group.

“ISIL fighters have been forced to alter their tactics — maneuvering in smaller groups, hiding large equipment, and changing their communications methods,” he said.

Hagel said there are also positive signs from Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who appears to be forming an inclusive government that takes into account the various groups in Iraq.

The Obama administration last week announced plans to send 1,500 more U.S. troops to advise, assist and train Iraqi forces but said the action will not be taken until Congress approves $5.6 billion in funding.

Of that money, $5 billion would go to the Defense Department, with $520 million going to the State Department. Hagel said $3.4 billion of the Pentagon’s funding would support ongoing U.S. operations, while $1.6 billion would go toward training and equipping Iraqi forces.

Hagel said only $1 billion of the $1.6 billion would be available initially, and the remaining $600 million would not released until Iraq and coalition partners have matched that with $600 million in funds of their own.

In Syria, the Defense secretary said the picture is more complicated. U.S. and coalition efforts there are focused mainly on shaping events in Iraq, since there is no government or military to partner with.

“We are sober about the challenges we face as ISIL exploits the complicated, long-running Syrian conflict,” Hagel said.

He said it would take eight to 12 months to train moderate Syrian rebels, but that defense officials are considering options for how U.S. and coalition forces can “further support these forces once they are trained and equipped.”

Hagel said the U.S. position maintains that Syrian leader Bashar Assad has lost the legitimacy to govern, and that, although moderate rebels trained by the U.S. in Syria should first take on ISIS, training them would “create conditions for a political settlement” in Syria.

Hagel said training the rebels will start once Congress approves the $500 million in funding it will cost.

“As President Obama told leaders of both houses of Congress last week, Congressional support — your support — is vital for this campaign to succeed,” Hagel said.