US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter has announced that the Pentagon is supporting and cooperating with the Arab League over the creation of a joint military force.
“The willingness of the parties there to step up and do more for stability in the Middle East is a good thing,” Carter told reporters during a visit to Fort Drum in New York on Monday.
“These 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,” he added.
Last week, the Arab League member states unanimously agreed to set up a joint military force against what they call threats against Arab states.
Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi said on Thursday that the bloc's foreign ministers agreed during their meeting in Egypt on a draft resolution to establish the force.
"This is the first time that a force will be created and work under the name of Arab states," he said during a joint press conference with Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Editor's note: This article has been edited from the source material
