The Trump Administration has invited representatives from 68 nations and international organizations to Washington, D.C., for a March 22 meeting to discuss strategies for eradicating ISIS after the battles of Mosul and Raqqa. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will lead the discussions. “We are at an important stage of the fight against ISIS,” said the State Department announcement, which also promised to “accelerate international efforts to defeat ISIS in the remaining areas it holds in Iraq and Syria and maximize pressure on its branches, affiliates, and networks.” The invitation marks the continuation of a diplomatic effort begun in 2014 by then-President Barack Obama and then-Secretary of State John Kerry. On Thursday, the two US commanders leading the fight against ISIS in the Middle East and northern Africa told the Senate Armed Services Committee that without the sustained “soft power” of diplomacy and foreign assistance, the war against ISIS would be unwinnable.
Reports of production troubles on the SpaceX rocket that could contend for military cargo deliveries happened to coincide with a different company’s concept receiving an early nod—one that might not require a rocket at all.