Obama wants to send more troops to Iraq as campaign expands
- 9 years ago
The U.S. wants to bolster efforts to combat Islamic State militants in Iraq.
Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY REAR ADMIRAL JOHN KIRBY , SAYING:
"The commander in chief has authorized Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to deploy to Iraq up to 1,500 additional U.S. personnel over the coming months, in a non-combat role, to expand our advise and assist mission and initiate a comprehensive training effort for Iraqi forces."
The Pentagon said it planned to establish several sites across the country to train nine Iraqi army brigades and three brigades of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.
Alarmed by the advance of Islamic State militants across Iraq, President Barack Obama began sending non-combatant troops back to Iraq in the summer for the first time since U.S. forces withdrew from the country in 2011.
The White House will ask Congress for $5.6 billion for the operations in Iraq and Syria, which incl
Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY REAR ADMIRAL JOHN KIRBY , SAYING:
"The commander in chief has authorized Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to deploy to Iraq up to 1,500 additional U.S. personnel over the coming months, in a non-combat role, to expand our advise and assist mission and initiate a comprehensive training effort for Iraqi forces."
The Pentagon said it planned to establish several sites across the country to train nine Iraqi army brigades and three brigades of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.
Alarmed by the advance of Islamic State militants across Iraq, President Barack Obama began sending non-combatant troops back to Iraq in the summer for the first time since U.S. forces withdrew from the country in 2011.
The White House will ask Congress for $5.6 billion for the operations in Iraq and Syria, which incl