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| Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin |
The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin met with US President Barack Obama and military leaders from 21 other nations at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington D.C. on Tuesday (Washington local time) to discuss the international coalition’s fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists.
Hosted by the United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin E. Dempsey, the military chiefs discussed the coalition’s progress to date, exchanged views on priorities, and considered next steps in confronting the ISIL threat.
“Although ISIL has some tactical influence, the coalition has the strategic momentum and partner nations will continue to build on the coalition’s successes,” Air Chief Marshal Binskin said.
“ISIL is an adaptive enemy but the coalition is agile and we have the ability, as partners, to come together to provide the capabilities required to disrupt and degrade their attack.”
Around 60 partner nations, including Australia, have joined the coalition to disrupt and degrade ISIL across a number of areas, providing political, economic, humanitarian and military support.
“It will take a comprehensive and sustained effort from the international community to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIL. This meeting demonstrates our collaboration and resolve to neutralise the ISIL threat,” Air Chief Marshal Binskin said.