The United States supports Arab plans to create a unified military force to counter growing security threats in the Middle East, and the Pentagon will cooperate with it where U.S. and Arab interests coincide, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Monday. Carter told reporters during a visit to Fort Drum in New York that U.S. military leaders who have met with him abroad thought that regional members of the coalition fighting ISIS should be encouraged to do more if they were able. "So I think if they are willing to do more, in this case with respect to Yemen, then that is a good thing because ultimately it is their region. The willingness of the parties there to step up and do more for stability in the Middle East is a good thing," Carter said. Asked if the U.S. military would cooperate with the new force, the U.S. defense secretary said it would, adding "There are partners and security allies of ours, and when they act in a way that we regard as in our interests as well as theirs we will continue to partner with them as we have been in other matters," Carter said.
