isis has always looked to conduct external operations. they have long tried to conduct terror attacks outside of their declared caliphate. reporter: this year isis may be more desperate with the loss of their strong holds in iraq and syria, it s strengthening it s affiliataffiliates, lookinw bases of operation. in somalia alone, the u.s. conducted seven air strikes in six days against al-shabaab, the kaed al qaeda affiliate and isis. al qaeda and its affiliates are also ramping up efforts. the reliance on special operations forces has expanded under president trump. there are now approximately 2,000 u.s. troops fighting isis inside syria. but military experts say it s not enough to stop the threat.
one strike killing 100 militants, according to the pentagon. al qaeda and its affiliates are also ramming up efforts. the reliance on special operations forces has expanded under president trump. there are now approximately 2,000 u.s. troops fighting isis inside syria. but military experts say it s not enough to stop the threat. military power is not enough to defeat isis or to defeat terrorism. we cannot shoot our way out of this problem, we cannot kill our way out of this problem. there are now 19 countries where u.s. troops are deployed and ready for combat if comes to that, but u.s. military officials continue to caution that it s going to take a lot more than firepower. it will take diplomacy. it will take economic and financial help in so many countries to defeat terrorism. jim? 19 countries with u.s. soldiers deployed. i m not sure many people realize
that may have been hampered because of what we ve seen over the past nine months. what we haven t seen yet is the ideology being in any way, shape or form being derailed, being drained, if you will. in fact, most of the times when we see attacks happen around the world as we ve seen in spain and in france, the first thing that comes to mind is isis somehow inspires people to carry out these type of attacks and that remains undeterred. what has changed materially about the u.s. strategy towards isis since president trump took office? does he deserve the question that he s taking? there have been air strikes against isis inside syria as well as inside iraq for several months during the obama administration. what would have to be a key component is have the rates has the acceleration of these attacks, has that increased, the targeting package increased? that s a military decision.
or form being derailed, being drained, if you will. in fact, most of the times when we see attacks happen around the world as we ve seen in spain and in france, the first thing that comes to mind is isis somehow inspires people to carry out these type of attacks and that remains undeterred. what has changed materially about the u.s. strategy towards isis since president trump took office? does he deserve the question that he s taking? there have been air strikes against isis inside syria as well as inside iraq for several months during the obama administration. what would have to be a key component is have the rates has the acceleration of these attacks, has that increased, the targeting package increased? that s a military decision. the president has authorized things like drone strikes and that has increased, for example, in places like libya and
overseas. in isis and iraq, syria and afghanistan to provide us admission, major general scott vander hamm, chief of staff operations, good to have you here. you guys are busy. afghanistan, iraq, the fight against isis inside syria and on top of that north korea and russia, among everything else. you guys are busy and at the same time like everybody else are facing magic massive budget shortfalls. we are busy, busier than we have ever been. you stated it better than i could. our 24/7 nuclear mission come our space mission, cybermission takes 20 to 30,000 people, we have those folks deployed downrange, we are busy, in a tightly constrained budget. what does the air force need, more pilots, more money?