Gen. Martin Dempsey talks to UNC-Chapel Hill crowd about ISIS threat
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- Gen. Martin Dempsey, America's top military man, spoke at a forum at UNC-Chapel Hill Friday evening about peace, war, and defense. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff came to Carolina on the same day ISIS claimed another victory.
People packed into an auditorium to hear from the principal military advisor to President Obama.
"I have changed as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I'm not the same chairman I was four years ago," said Gen. Dempsey.
Dempsey addressed growing concerns over ISIS, the radical terrorist group that has sent out a number of beheading videos and most recently claims to have killed an American hostage during Jordanian airstrikes. The White House, however, says there's no evidence to back up this claim.
"ISIL is touted as the most dangerous particulars group of our time, that's true," said Gen. Dempsey.
The threat is even more real to many active service members in attendance. Quite a few soldiers drove from a Fort Bragg to Chapel Hill.
"The concern is, in my opinion, that Russia, as Joe Biden said I believe today, is currently what is it re-carving essentially the borders of Eastern Europe," said soldier Ethan Dick. "ISIL is an ongoing threat. It's currently just completely discrediting the sovereignty of two entire nations."
All Dempsey would say is our nation's armed forces are diligently working to adapt to the terrorist group.
"You need to adapt at a faster, more effective rate," said Gen. Dempsey. "The way we're approaching ISIL right now is the right approach for what we know right now."
While ISIS is a major threat, Dempsey stressed there are other radical groups that could become bigger problems. One is Boko Haram, which has been terrorizing Nigeria.
