President Barack Obama on Wednesday ordered 450 additional military advisers to Iraq in a new effort to bolster Iraqi troops as they try to retake Ramadi, the Anbar provincial capital seized last month by Islamic State insurgents.
The White House said the extra troops would not serve in a combat role and would augment the 3,100 trainers the U.S. already has in Iraq to “train, advise and assist” Iraqi forces and Sunni fighters.
But Obama is continuing to rule out sending ground troops back into Iraq after withdrawing them in 2011.
A statement said the president was adding the new advisers at the request of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and the recommendation of U.S. defense chiefs.
“These new advisers will work to build the capacity of Iraqi forces, including local tribal fighters, to improve their ability to plan, lead and conduct operations against ISIL in eastern Anbar under the command of the prime minister,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.
Under the plan, the U.S. would open a new training site at al-Taqaddum, a desert air base that once served as an American military hub, in eastern Anbar province. The move will increase the number of U.S. training sites in Iraq from four to five.
At the Pentagon, spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said the new U.S. forces could begin operations at al-Taqaddum in six to eight weeks. Their objective, he said, will be “to engage with the leadership of Iraqi units at the brigade and higher level and advise and assist them on how to conduct their operations.”
U.S. deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said Wednesday that the advisers would give the U.S. greater capacity to strengthen Iraqi forces, while working with Sunni tribal fighters who are essential to coalition efforts to combat the Islamic State group. Most of the trainees would be Sunni tribal volunteers.
Source-VOA
