Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in the United States for a second time in as many months this week for a defense ministerial meeting of nations involved in the effort to counter the self-described ISIS in Iraq and Syria, held at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Coalition partners taking part in the meeting “are looking for ways to build on the momentum of the counter-Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant campaign,” according to the U.S. Department of Defense. The convening nations sought to “formulate ways to accelerate the defeat of the terrorist group.”
This is a “critically important time for our counter-ISIL military campaign,” Carter said. “Thanks to this global coalition, our clear and deliberate campaign plan, our dedicated local partner forces, and the sacrifices of our militaries’ members,” he added, “we now have momentum in this fight and clear results on the ground.”
Secretary Ash Carter and Prince Mohammed met separately on the sidelines of the meeting.
“This meeting provided an opportunity for the two leaders to continue discussions from their bilateral meeting held at the Pentagon in June,” according to the Pentagon. “They discussed the fight against ISIL and the coalition’s recent results, Saudi Arabia’s military capability development and regional security issues.”
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Carter also thanked his Saudi counterpart “for the close partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed their strong relationship,” Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said. Carter underscored the U.S. commitment to the enduring defense partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
