This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/19/world/middleeast/obama-iraq.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Obama to Meet Congressional Leaders Over Iraq | Obama to Meet Congressional Leaders Over Iraq |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — President Obama is scheduled to meet with congressional leaders on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the United States response to advances by Sunni militants in Iraq, the administration said. | |
| The meeting, at 3 p.m. in the Oval Office, is to include the House speaker, John A. Boehner of Ohio; the minority leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California; the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada; and the minority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. | The meeting, at 3 p.m. in the Oval Office, is to include the House speaker, John A. Boehner of Ohio; the minority leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California; the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada; and the minority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. |
| The White House said it was part of Mr. Obama’s continuing consultations with congressional leaders on foreign policy issues, including the crisis in Iraq. | |
| A senior administration official said on Tuesday that Mr. Obama was considering a limited campaign of airstrikes on Sunni militants similar to the counterterrorism strikes in countries like Yemen, most likely using drones. Such strikes would be limited in scope and would not commence for days, the official said. | A senior administration official said on Tuesday that Mr. Obama was considering a limited campaign of airstrikes on Sunni militants similar to the counterterrorism strikes in countries like Yemen, most likely using drones. Such strikes would be limited in scope and would not commence for days, the official said. |
| Mr. Obama’s national security advisers have presented him with a “sliding scale” of military options ranging from providing more American advisers, equipment and intelligence support to the beleaguered Iraqi Army to conducting airstrikes targeting members of the militant group, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the official said. | Mr. Obama’s national security advisers have presented him with a “sliding scale” of military options ranging from providing more American advisers, equipment and intelligence support to the beleaguered Iraqi Army to conducting airstrikes targeting members of the militant group, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the official said. |
| Mr. Obama has said that it is mainly up to Iraqi leaders to resolve the crisis by mending divisions between sects and finding a political solution to the crisis. | Mr. Obama has said that it is mainly up to Iraqi leaders to resolve the crisis by mending divisions between sects and finding a political solution to the crisis. |
| “There is no military solution that will solve Iraq’s problems,” the White House press secretary, Jay Carney, told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, “which is why we’ve been urgently pressing Iraq’s leaders across the political spectrum to govern in a nonsectarian manner, to promote stability and unity among Iraq’s diverse population, to address the legitimate grievances of Iraq’s Sunni, Kurd and Shia communities, and build and invest in the capacity of Iraq’s security forces.” | “There is no military solution that will solve Iraq’s problems,” the White House press secretary, Jay Carney, told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, “which is why we’ve been urgently pressing Iraq’s leaders across the political spectrum to govern in a nonsectarian manner, to promote stability and unity among Iraq’s diverse population, to address the legitimate grievances of Iraq’s Sunni, Kurd and Shia communities, and build and invest in the capacity of Iraq’s security forces.” |
| Mr. Boehner’s spokesman, Michael Steel, said in a written statement: “The speaker expects the president to offer a coherent strategy to ensure that Iraq does not descend further into lawless barbarism. We spent years, vast sums of money, and, most importantly, thousands of American lives to improve Iraq’s security and make America safer. Squandering that legacy would be a tragic mistake.” | Mr. Boehner’s spokesman, Michael Steel, said in a written statement: “The speaker expects the president to offer a coherent strategy to ensure that Iraq does not descend further into lawless barbarism. We spent years, vast sums of money, and, most importantly, thousands of American lives to improve Iraq’s security and make America safer. Squandering that legacy would be a tragic mistake.” |
| Lawmakers in both parties have criticized Mr. Obama for not consulting Congress before agreeing this month to exchange five Taliban detainees held by the United States for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the lone American prisoner of war in Afghanistan. | Lawmakers in both parties have criticized Mr. Obama for not consulting Congress before agreeing this month to exchange five Taliban detainees held by the United States for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the lone American prisoner of war in Afghanistan. |
| Administration officials have defended the secrecy, contending that they had to act quickly because Sergeant Bergdahl’s health was in jeopardy. They also said they had feared that any disclosure of the prisoner swap might endanger the deal and the soldier’s life. | Administration officials have defended the secrecy, contending that they had to act quickly because Sergeant Bergdahl’s health was in jeopardy. They also said they had feared that any disclosure of the prisoner swap might endanger the deal and the soldier’s life. |
| Last summer, Mr. Obama summoned congressional leaders to the Oval Office to win their support for an attack on Syria for its use of chemical weapons. He ultimately decided against an attack, after Syria agreed to hand over its chemical stockpile. |