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| U.S. Attack Helicopters May Fight ISIS in Iraq City | U.S. Attack Helicopters May Fight ISIS in Iraq City |
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| WASHINGTON — The United States is prepared to deploy attack helicopters and additional advisers to help Iraqi forces in their long-running battle to retake the city of Ramadi from the Islamic State, Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said on Wednesday. | WASHINGTON — The United States is prepared to deploy attack helicopters and additional advisers to help Iraqi forces in their long-running battle to retake the city of Ramadi from the Islamic State, Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said on Wednesday. |
| For several months now, the Iraqi security forces have been preparing to take back the city by cordoning it off and surrounding it. It has been a slog, Pentagon officials say, because of dug-in Islamic State positions. | |
| But as the forces prepare to move in to retake the city, which will probably entail urban warfare, defense officials say they are considering adding American attack helicopters to the fight. Such a move would deepen American involvement in the war and could bring helicopter pilots under increased risk from ground fire, but is viewed by the Pentagon as necessary. | But as the forces prepare to move in to retake the city, which will probably entail urban warfare, defense officials say they are considering adding American attack helicopters to the fight. Such a move would deepen American involvement in the war and could bring helicopter pilots under increased risk from ground fire, but is viewed by the Pentagon as necessary. |
| “The United States is prepared to assist the Iraqi Army with additional unique capabilities to help them finish the job, including attack helicopters and accompanying advisers, if circumstances dictate and if requested by Prime Minister Abadi,” Mr. Carter told a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, referring to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. | “The United States is prepared to assist the Iraqi Army with additional unique capabilities to help them finish the job, including attack helicopters and accompanying advisers, if circumstances dictate and if requested by Prime Minister Abadi,” Mr. Carter told a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, referring to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. |
| But officials said they did not envision using the American helicopters until the effort to retake Ramadi reaches a critical point and they judge such a move as necessary to finish the job. | But officials said they did not envision using the American helicopters until the effort to retake Ramadi reaches a critical point and they judge such a move as necessary to finish the job. |
| An American military official, who asked not to be identified because he was discussing internal deliberations, said the offer to provide Apache helicopters and field advisers had recently been conveyed privately to Mr. Abadi. Mr. Abadi, who is under pressure from hard-line Shiite politicians backed by Iran not to accept an expanded American role in Iraqi, neither accepted nor rejected the proposal, suggesting that he would weigh the offer on a case-by-case basis, according to American and Iraqi officials. | An American military official, who asked not to be identified because he was discussing internal deliberations, said the offer to provide Apache helicopters and field advisers had recently been conveyed privately to Mr. Abadi. Mr. Abadi, who is under pressure from hard-line Shiite politicians backed by Iran not to accept an expanded American role in Iraqi, neither accepted nor rejected the proposal, suggesting that he would weigh the offer on a case-by-case basis, according to American and Iraqi officials. |
| Currently, the American trainers and advisers who have been working with Iraqi troops stay on bases in Iraq. If advisers were to be deployed in the field, they would be attached to select Iraqi brigades. | Currently, the American trainers and advisers who have been working with Iraqi troops stay on bases in Iraq. If advisers were to be deployed in the field, they would be attached to select Iraqi brigades. |
| David H. Petraeus, the former United States commander, has told Congress that the United States should consider advising Iraqi forces in the field at the brigade level. | David H. Petraeus, the former United States commander, has told Congress that the United States should consider advising Iraqi forces in the field at the brigade level. |