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| Barack Obama sends troops back to Iraq as crisis worsens | Barack Obama sends troops back to Iraq as crisis worsens |
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| The US is urgently deploying several hundred armed troops in and around Iraq and considering sending an additional contingent of special forces soldiers as Baghdad struggles to repel a rampant insurgency. | The US is urgently deploying several hundred armed troops in and around Iraq and considering sending an additional contingent of special forces soldiers as Baghdad struggles to repel a rampant insurgency. |
| President Barack Obama Obama discussed the crisis with his top national security advisers on Monday night after earlier telling Congress that up to 275 troops could be sent to Iraq to provide support and security for US personnel and the American Embassy in Baghdad. | President Barack Obama Obama discussed the crisis with his top national security advisers on Monday night after earlier telling Congress that up to 275 troops could be sent to Iraq to provide support and security for US personnel and the American Embassy in Baghdad. |
| About 170 of those forces have already arrived and another 100 soldiers will be on standby in a nearby country until they are needed, a US official said. | About 170 of those forces have already arrived and another 100 soldiers will be on standby in a nearby country until they are needed, a US official said. |
| While Obama has vowed to keep US forces out of combat in Iraq, he said in his notification to Congress that the personnel moving into the region are equipped for direct fighting. | While Obama has vowed to keep US forces out of combat in Iraq, he said in his notification to Congress that the personnel moving into the region are equipped for direct fighting. |
| Separately, three US officials said the White House was considering sending a contingent of special forces soldiers to Iraq. Their limited mission which has not yet been approved would focus on training and advising beleaguered Iraqi troops, many of whom have fled their posts across the nation's north and west as the al-Qaida-inspired insurgency has advanced in the worst threat to the country since American troops left in 2011. | Separately, three US officials said the White House was considering sending a contingent of special forces soldiers to Iraq. Their limited mission which has not yet been approved would focus on training and advising beleaguered Iraqi troops, many of whom have fled their posts across the nation's north and west as the al-Qaida-inspired insurgency has advanced in the worst threat to the country since American troops left in 2011. |
| The moves come at the White House wrestles with an array of options for helping Iraq repel a Sunni Muslim insurgency that has captured large swaths of territory collaring Baghdad, the capital of the Shiite-led government. | The moves come at the White House wrestles with an array of options for helping Iraq repel a Sunni Muslim insurgency that has captured large swaths of territory collaring Baghdad, the capital of the Shiite-led government. |
| In a rare move, US officials reached out to Iran on Monday to discuss ways the long-time foes might help stop the militants known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. | In a rare move, US officials reached out to Iran on Monday to discuss ways the long-time foes might help stop the militants known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. |
| The conversations took place on the sidelines of separate nuclear negotiations taking place in Vienna, Austria. US officials quickly played down speculation that the discussion might include military coordination or consultation, though secretary of state John Kerry said in an interview with Yahoo! News that the US would "not rule out anything that would be constructive." | The conversations took place on the sidelines of separate nuclear negotiations taking place in Vienna, Austria. US officials quickly played down speculation that the discussion might include military coordination or consultation, though secretary of state John Kerry said in an interview with Yahoo! News that the US would "not rule out anything that would be constructive." |
| Calling the threat to Iraq "existential", Kerry said that air strikes were also a possibility. | |
| "They're not the whole answer, but they may well be one of the options that are important," he said. "When you have people murdering, assassinating in these mass massacres, you have to stop that. And you do what you need to do if you need to try to stop it from the air or otherwise." | |
| Taken together, the developments suggest a willingness by Obama to send Americans into a collapsing security situation in order to quell the brutal fighting in Iraq before it morphs into outright war. | Taken together, the developments suggest a willingness by Obama to send Americans into a collapsing security situation in order to quell the brutal fighting in Iraq before it morphs into outright war. |
| The White House said the forces authorised for support and security will assist with the temporary relocation of some staff from the Baghdad embassy. The forces are entering Iraq with the consent of that country's government, the White House said. | The White House said the forces authorised for support and security will assist with the temporary relocation of some staff from the Baghdad embassy. The forces are entering Iraq with the consent of that country's government, the White House said. |
| Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said the troops on standby could "provide airfield management, security, and logistics support, if required." They could work with embassy security teams or operate as a stand-alone force as directed. | Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said the troops on standby could "provide airfield management, security, and logistics support, if required." They could work with embassy security teams or operate as a stand-alone force as directed. |
| Officials would not say where the soldiers would be on standby, but it is likely they would be in Kuwait, which was a major basing ground for US troops during the Iraq war. | Officials would not say where the soldiers would be on standby, but it is likely they would be in Kuwait, which was a major basing ground for US troops during the Iraq war. |
| If the US were to deploy an additional team of special forces, the mission would almost certainly be small. One US official said it could be up to 100 special forces soldiers. It also could be authorised only as an advising and training mission meaning the soldiers would work closely with Iraqi forces that are fighting the insurgency but would not officially be considered as combat troops. | If the US were to deploy an additional team of special forces, the mission would almost certainly be small. One US official said it could be up to 100 special forces soldiers. It also could be authorised only as an advising and training mission meaning the soldiers would work closely with Iraqi forces that are fighting the insurgency but would not officially be considered as combat troops. |
| The White House would not confirm that special operations forces were under consideration. But spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said that while Obama would not send troops back into combat, "he has asked his national security team to prepare a range of other options that could help support Iraqi security forces". | The White House would not confirm that special operations forces were under consideration. But spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said that while Obama would not send troops back into combat, "he has asked his national security team to prepare a range of other options that could help support Iraqi security forces". |
| It is not clear how quickly the special forces could arrive in Iraq. It is also unknown whether they would remain in Baghdad or be sent to the nation's north, where the Sunni Muslim insurgency has captured large swaths of territory. | It is not clear how quickly the special forces could arrive in Iraq. It is also unknown whether they would remain in Baghdad or be sent to the nation's north, where the Sunni Muslim insurgency has captured large swaths of territory. |
| The troops would fall under the authority of the US ambassador in Baghdad and would not be authorised to engage in combat, another US official said. Their mission would be "non-operational training" of both regular and counter terrorism units, which the military has in the past interpreted to mean training on military bases, the official said. | The troops would fall under the authority of the US ambassador in Baghdad and would not be authorised to engage in combat, another US official said. Their mission would be "non-operational training" of both regular and counter terrorism units, which the military has in the past interpreted to mean training on military bases, the official said. |
| However, all U.S. troops are allowed to defend themselves in Iraq if they are under attack. | However, all U.S. troops are allowed to defend themselves in Iraq if they are under attack. |
| The three U.S. officials all spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly discuss the plans by name. | The three U.S. officials all spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly discuss the plans by name. |
| Obama made the end of the war in Iraq one of his signature campaign issues, and has touted the U.S. military withdrawal in December 2011 as one of his top foreign policy successes. But he has been caught over the past week between Iraqi officials pleading for help as well as Republicans blaming him for the loss of a decade's worth of gains in Iraq and his anti-war Democratic political base, which is demanding that the US stay out of the fight. | Obama made the end of the war in Iraq one of his signature campaign issues, and has touted the U.S. military withdrawal in December 2011 as one of his top foreign policy successes. But he has been caught over the past week between Iraqi officials pleading for help as well as Republicans blaming him for the loss of a decade's worth of gains in Iraq and his anti-war Democratic political base, which is demanding that the US stay out of the fight. |