Secretary General meets US commanders for talks on NATO’s role in fighting terrorism
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited US Central Command (CENTCOM) and Special Operations Command (SOCOM) at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida on Wednesday (20 September 2017) for talks on stepping up NATO’s role in fighting terrorism. NATO works with both commands to fight terrorist organisations and project stability by strengthening partner countries.
At SOCOM, Mr. Stoltenberg met with the Commander, General Raymond A. Thomas III, for talks on the important role of Special Forces in countering terrorist and hybrid threats. He also toured the SOCOM War Game Center, participated in a demonstration of new technologies being used in the field, and met with NATO troops.
At CENTCOM, the Secretary General met with the Deputy Commander, Lieutenant General Charles Q. Brown Jr. The two discussed the next steps NATO could take in countering ISIS and similar groups.
NATO has played a key role in the fight against terrorism for many years. The NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan helps train the Afghan forces, so that the country never again becomes a safe haven for international terrorists. NATO is also a full member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, which the Alliance supports with AWACS surveillance flights, as well training for local forces in Iraq, Jordan and Tunisia.