Newly appointed Pentagon chief Ashton Carter arrived in Kuwait Monday to chair an urgent meeting with top U.S. commanders and diplomats to discuss war efforts against the Islamic State (IS) group. Over 20 top U.S. diplomats and military commanders will meet at the U.S. Army base of Camp Arifjan, South of Kuwait. Meanwhile, the American leadership faces strong criticism from Republicans over the efficiency of U.S. military operations against IS. Carter seeks a better understanding of the threats posed by the IS and possible ways to neutralize them, said a pentagon official. "Carter will be looking for an update on all facets of the campaign on both the military and diplomatic front, including the Iraqi government's efforts to recruit Sunnis into the fight against the IS extremists," he added. Pentagon spokesperson, Rear Admiral John Kirby confirmed that the meeting will include the commander running the anti-IS campaign, Lieutenant General James Terry, as well as the heads of U.S. Central Command, Africa Command, European command, Special Operations Command and Joint Special Operations Command, along with a number of diplomats including, John Allen, Obama's envoy to the anti-IS coalition, the U.S. special envoy to Syria, Daniel Rubinstein, the U.S. ambassadors to Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Carter stated that the IS threat is a "regional issue," adding that the purpose of his visit is to "have all of the expertise represented". Carter's visit to Kuwait comes after a two-day visit to Afghanistan, to consult commanders about the pace of a U.S. troop's withdrawal.
