Dempsey: Escalating Airstrikes on ISIS a Mistake

The Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday defended the pace of the air war against Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists, warning that escalating bombing raids or sending in more American troops would be a mistake.

 

During a visit to a French aircraft carrier in the Gulf taking part in the air campaign, General Martin Dempsey appealed for “strategic patience” in the fight against the ISIS group in Iraq and Syria, according to AFP.

 

Expanding the air war could risk civilian casualties and play into the hands of ISIS propaganda, he said aboard the Charles de Gaulle.

 

“So we have a responsibility to be very precise in the use of air power. And that means that it takes time” to gather accurate intelligence on possible targets, Dempsey said, adding, “Carpet bombing through Iraq is not the answer.”

 

The tempo of military operations also depended on the strength of the Iraqi army and the Baghdad government’s willingness to reconcile with an alienated Sunni population, he said.

 

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