Marcel Lettre: US Military, Intelligence Back Peace Deal With Russia on Syria

The US Department of Defense and intelligence community support the new peace agreement with Russia on Syria, including intelligence sharing, but approach the deal with caution, according to Marcel Lettre, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US Department of Defense and intelligence community support the new peace agreement with Russia on Syria, including intelligence sharing, but approach the deal with caution, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Marcel Lettre said in a speech on Tuesday.

"‘Distrust but verify’: That can apply a little bit in this case," Lettre told an open meeting at the Atlantic Council. "The intelligence community and the Department of Defense are strongly on board with supporting the new agreement… as the steps play out as we think they should."

Lettre described the process of cooperating with Russia on intelligence issues to implement the Syria agreement as dealing in a "very complex" information-sharing environment.

"There will be clear rules of the road put in place about what is shared and what not," he added.

Lettre also expressed confidence that the Islamic State, also known as Daesh and outlawed in Russia, would eventually be brought under control in Libya, as well as in Syria and Iraq.