Is The U.S. About To Launch Airstrikes Against Sunni Rebels In Iraq?

Damaged vehicles belonging to Iraqi security forces are seen during clashes between Iraqi security forces and al Qaeda-linked Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the northern Iraq city of Mosul, June 10, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer

U.S. Focus Is On Boosting Iraqi Forces, Not Air Strikes -- Reuters

(Reuters) - The White House signaled on Wednesday that it was looking to strengthen Iraqi forces to help them deal with an insurgency rather than to meet what one U.S. official said were past Iraqi requests for U.S. air strikes.

An Obama administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Iraq had previously made clear its interest in drone strikes or bombing by manned U.S. aircraft to help it beat back the militant onslaught.

Sunni rebels from an al Qaeda splinter group overran the Iraqi city of Tikrit on Wednesday and closed in on the biggest oil refinery in the country, making further gains in their rapid military advance against the Shi'ite-led government in Baghdad. [ID:nL5N0OS24U]

Read more ....

More News On Reports That The U.S. Is Preparing Options To Aid The Iraqi Government

US Pledges to Help Iraq Repel Militants -- VOA
U.S. Mulls Air Strikes as Iraq Militants Advance on Baghdad -- Naharnet
U.S. promises to support Iraq against Sunni insurgents -- Haaretz/Reuters
U.S. eyes new aid to Iraq to curb insurgent march -- USA Today/AP
US promises to stand by Iraq, offers support to combat militants -- First Post/AFP
U.S. pledges more aid to Iraq to help address "deteriorating" situation -- Global Post/Xinhua

My Comment: I do not see U.S. air strikes happening now .... but if we see U.S. military assets being deployed to the Middle East in the next few days/weeks .... that will tell me that the Iraqi government has truly lost control of the situation, and the U.S. is positioning itself to intervene.