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Chuck Hagel: â€œWe are at the beginning of efforts to degrade and destroy ISILâ€

27 September 2014 16:46 (UTC +04:00)

Defeating the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant will require a long-term commitment by the United States and its allies on many fronts and will not be achieved by airstrikes alone, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters today, APA reports quoting Pentagon official website.

“No one is under any illusions that airstrikes alone will destroy ISIL,” Hagel said. He also emphasized that the strategy must include diplomatic, economic and intelligence components along with cooperation from the new Iraqi government, and “will require a long term commitment from the United States and all of our partners and allies.”

Hagel said that this will not be an easy or brief effort: “We are at the beginning, not the end” of efforts to degrade and destroy ISIL”.