Hagel Touts Colombia's Role in Helping World Meet Threats

By Terri Moon Cronk
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11, 2014 - To have Colombian leadership step forward with its capacity, capability and training provides a huge asset to the world, to the United Nations, and to America's global interests around the world, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said yesterday at a Colombian military base.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, center, speaks with U.S. Ambassador to Colombia Kevin Whitaker, left, and Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon as he arrives at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia, Oct. 9, 2014. DoD photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Colombia was Hagel's first stop on a six-day, three-country trip to South America that will include attending the 11th Conference of the Defense Ministers of the Americas.

At a news conference with Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon, Hagel said he and his Colombian counterpart had discussed the many threats that face the world today.

Threats know no boundaries

"Threats today in the world know no boundaries, whether they come from climate change, or terrorism, or transnational criminal networks that help fund many of these groups," Hagel said. "So we are all together in our efforts to fight terrorism. How we do that, the specifics of that, are up to each country and relationship."

But world threats today are not indigenous to countries, borders or regions, he noted.

Turning specifically to threats from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Hagel acknowledged that Iraq's Anbar province is "in trouble," and said the United States and its coalition partners are assisting the Iraqi security forces.

"This is a difficult effort," he said. "It is going to take time. It won't be easy. There is a lot of uncertainty in Anbar right now."