U.S. President Barack Obama praised Monday’s selection of Iraqi lawmaker Haider al-Abadi as the next prime minister, calling it “a promising step in this critical effort” to build an inclusive new government and to battle insurgents of the Islamic State that threaten the country’s stability.
Iraqi President Fouad Massoum picked Abadi, the deputy speaker of parliament, on Monday to lead the Baghdad government as it faces the onslaught of militants who have overrun much of its northern and western parts.
Obama, speaking from Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, said he and Vice President Joe Biden both had phoned Abadi to pledge U.S. support.
“This new Iraqi leadership has a difficult task,” Obama said, citing the challenge of regaining the confidence of Iraqis and the international community.
“We stand ready to partner with Iraq” and its new government, Obama said, “and build on today’s progress.”
He urged those working to form a new administration to come together peacefully with a goal of eliminating the threat of Islamic State militants who have seized much of the country with little opposition.
The president noted recent U.S. airstrikes in support of Kurdish fighters and civilian refugees in northern Iraq. He said U.S. aircraft remain in position to strike at extremists seeking to carve out a caliphate in the vast regions now under their control.
Incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is resisting an end to his eight-year rule. Seeking a third term, he has defied calls from Sunnis, Kurds and some fellow Shi’ites to step aside for a less polarizing figure.
Obama, who had authorized airstrikes on the Islamic militants last week, said the U.S. had “stepped up” military advice to Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
The U.S. president noted the U.S. had continued airdrops of humanitarian supplies to the Iraqi religious minorities, especially Yazidis, trapped on Mount Sinjar. He also thanked the United Kingdom, France and other countries for providing aid.
Source-VOA
