The White House announced Wednesday it will send more military personnel to Iraq to train forces fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
It will also establish a new military base in Anbar Province to assist Iraqi forces in retaking the capital there, Ramadi.
President Obama has authorized up to 450 additional U.S. troops “to train, advise, and assist” Iraqi forces fighting ISIS, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.
The troops will not serve in a combat role. There are currently 3,100 troops deployed to Iraq to help train military forces there.
The decision comes after Ramadi’s fall last month, a major victory for ISIS that prompted the administration to review its training and equipping mission.
Obama telegraphed tweaks to the plan on Monday, when he said “we don’t have a complete strategy yet” to train and equip the Iraqi military. But he said the Pentagon was working on a new plan.
Obama’s moves came at the request of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who has pleaded with the U.S. and its coalition partners for more military and intelligence backing in combating the terrorist group.
The president met with the Iraqi leader on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit of leading industrial nations on Monday in Germany, where Obama pledged more assistance.
But Obama also called on Abadi to do more to recruit fighters to government forces and Sunni militias fighting ISIS extremists.
http://thehill.com/policy/defense/244544-obama-sending-more-us-troops-to-iraq
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