Obama To Deploy Special Forces To Iraq -- Time
Troops meant to train Iraqis in fight against militants.
President Barack Obama announced Thursday that he’s prepared to deploy up to 300 special forces to Iraq, as militants who have plunged the country into chaos consolidate their gains.
Speaking to reporters from the White House Briefing Room, Obama said the Green Berets would be focused on training Iraqi troops to fight back against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Sunni, al-Qaeda inspired extremist group that has captured several cities and has its sights set on Baghdad. He emphasized that the U.S. was not returning to a fight it waged for eight years before a 2011 withdrawal, but was focused on training and helping foster a diplomatic solution to the current crisis.
“American forces will not be returning to combat in Iraq,” Obama said. “But we will help Iraqis as they take the fight to terrorists who threaten the Iraqi people, the region and American interests as well.”
Read more ....
President Obama's Statement On Iraq -- News Roundup
Text of Obama’s Remarks on Iraq -- New York Times
United States to Send Military Advisers to Iraq -- New York Times
Obama announces he is sending up to 300 troops back to Iraq as advisers -- Washington Post
Obama to send 300 special ops forces to Iraq -- Washington Times
Obama Sending 300 Advisers to Help Iraq Battle Insurgency, Ready to Take 'Targeted' Action -- Bloomberg
Obama plans to send up to 300 military advisers to Iraq -- USA Today
Obama: US sending military advisers to Iraq -- AP
Obama says U.S. ready to send advisers, conduct strikes in Iraq -- Reuters
Iraq crisis: US ready for 'targeted military action' -- BBC
Obama prepared to send military advisers to Iraq -- CNN
Obama: U.S. won't be returning to combat in Iraq -- CBS
Obama: U.S. Prepared to Take 'Targeted' Action in Iraq -- NBC
Obama to send up to 300 'military advisers' to help Iraqi army repel Isis -- The Guardian
U.S. Forces Not Returning to Combat in Iraq, President Obama Says -- WSJ
Obama sending Kerry to Middle East, set to dispatch military advisers to Iraq -- FOX News
My Comment: This statement by President Obama will only embolden ISIS. Shows up late (again) .... talks about how Iraq cannot be solved by military means .... but will be sending soldiers anyway. Talks about the need for a unified Iraqi government .... but the U.S. is more divided than I have ever seen it. Will be sending John Kerry to Iraq and the Middle East to start the consultation process on how to resolve the crisis in Iraq .... but even these countries have different agendas and goals .... and have made it very clear that they are not interested in what the U.S. has to offer.
Sighhh ... I cannot help but feel that today's statement on Iraq was nothing more but a PR event. But I will concededthat with U.S. advisers now being sent to Iraq .... this has the potential of becoming something much bigger .... and messier.
2 comments:
President Obama has mishandled Iraq, and this comment does not defend him. If the United States had made different decisions, such as leaving troops in Iraq, perhaps things would be better now. We will never know, because we did not take that decision.
At this point, we have no good choices in Iraq:
1. Replace Maliki with a more representative Government. Maliki won't leave office. Iran backs him, and American pressure will not overcome his Iranian support. Even if he were removed, the ISIS barbarians reject the concept of a representative Government altogether. They will fight as hard against it as they do against Maliki's Shiite sectarian Government. Moreover, the Sunnis in Iraq have already been promised a truly representative Government, and the promise has not been fulfilled. Why ought they to believe new promises?
2. Back the head-choppers. We obviously can't support the ISIS barbaric savages.
3. Back Maliki's regime. Although not as brutally barbaric as ISIS, Maliki's sectarian Shiite Government are hardly good democrats. They oppress the Sunnis, not to mention the Christians. They are corrupt, top to bottom. Moreover, they are allied to Iran, which makes no bones about its support for terror worldwide and is determined to develop its own nukes.
Unfortunately, there are no good guys in Iraq at this point.
The United States spent $2 trillion and over 4,000 American lives, not to mention wounded, to liberate Iraq from Saddam. At great cost over years we fought al Qaida and turned over the country to Maliki in reasonably decent shape. Maliki has squandered what we gave him, and now wants us to rescue him.
The least bad option may be for the United States and the West to stand back from the Iraqi maelstrom. I simply do not see further United States military involvement in Iraq as a good use of American lives or treasure, especially not for the Maliki regime. Let Iran spend its money and young men supporting their allies in Iraq. Maliki's fall would harm Iran much more than it would harm the West.
" Let Iran spend its money and young men supporting their allies in Iraq. Maliki's fall would harm Iran much more than it would harm the West." and Syria, Hezbollah, and Hamas.
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