Statement by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on Congressional Passage of the Continuing Resolution
September 18, 2014

I welcome and appreciate the swift action by Congress to provide the Defense Department with the authority to begin training and equipping the moderate Syrian opposition. This train and equip program is a key element of the president’s comprehensive strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). While it will take time to strengthen the moderate Syrian opposition forces, they and the Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdish forces are central to confronting ISIL. The U.S. military will work closely with regional partners, including Saudi Arabia, to recruit and vet the opposition forces, and we will continue to build and sustain a broad coalition to implement our strategy.