Carter announces special ops forces to Syria, Iraq

The Pentagon will send an expeditionary force of special operators to Iraq to assist government and Kurdish forces in conducting raids and gathering intelligence against the Islamic State, Defense Secretary Ash Carter told the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. “These special operators will over time be able to conduct raids, free hostages, gather intelligence, and capture ISIL leaders”. In late October, the Obama administration announced that it would be sending as many as 50 special ops to fight on the ground, conduct raids and provide training.

“The worldwide community – including our allies and partners – has to step up before another attack like Paris”, he said.

Carter said the Obama adminstration is “encouraging” its coalition partners to “provide additional strike and support aircraft, special operations personnel, deeper and more effective intelligence sharing, additional train, advise and assist personnel resources, combat search and rescue capabilities, combat support and combat service support, base security forces and economic aid and humanitarian assistance”.

Carter said the new force will be larger than the one being sent into Syria, but did not specify how many troops it will include.

“If we find more forces that we can enable in this way we’re prepared to do more…” “This force will also be in a position to conduct unilateral operations into Syria”.

Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified alongside Carter, saying that in the past month or so, attacks on IS have disrupted 43 percent of its revenue stream.

The Department of Defense acknowledged the use of special operations forces in Iraq following the recent battlefield death of Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler during a raid with Kurdish forces to free hostages held by Islamic State militants.

“This is an important capability because it takes advantage of what we’re good at”, Carter said.

“It puts everyone on notice”, Carter told Congress. “You don’t know at night who is going to be coming into the window”. “And that’s the sensation that we want all of ISIL’s leadership and followers to have”.