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| David Cameron defends 'clear' Iraq strategy | David Cameron defends 'clear' Iraq strategy |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted the government's position on Iraq is "clear" and said the UK would not deploy "boots on the ground". | Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted the government's position on Iraq is "clear" and said the UK would not deploy "boots on the ground". |
| Mr Cameron said Britain would "use all the assets that we have", including "military prowess" and aid to defeat the "monstrous" Islamic State militant group (IS). | Mr Cameron said Britain would "use all the assets that we have", including "military prowess" and aid to defeat the "monstrous" Islamic State militant group (IS). |
| He said keeping people in the UK safe was his top priority. | He said keeping people in the UK safe was his top priority. |
| Labour said Britain's role in the crisis was "pretty unclear". | Labour said Britain's role in the crisis was "pretty unclear". |
| 'Extremism crisis' | 'Extremism crisis' |
| The government's Cobra committee is currently meeting to discuss the situation in Iraq. | The government's Cobra committee is currently meeting to discuss the situation in Iraq. |
| Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said the UK's military involvement in the country could last for "months", and has revealed that RAF surveillance aircraft are operating there. | |
| IS, an extreme Sunni Islam group, is seeking to build a so-called caliphate - a new Islamic state spanning Iraq and Syria. | |
| The group has seized large parts of both countries in recent months and is alleged to have carried out mass killings of non-Muslims. | The group has seized large parts of both countries in recent months and is alleged to have carried out mass killings of non-Muslims. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| Jonathan Beale, BBC defence correspondent | Jonathan Beale, BBC defence correspondent |
| The British military role in Iraq has already morphed from providing humanitarian relief to gathering intelligence. It could easily change again to more direct intervention. | The British military role in Iraq has already morphed from providing humanitarian relief to gathering intelligence. It could easily change again to more direct intervention. |
| Even now one can assume that surveillance being carried out by the RAF's latest spy plane - the Rivet Joint - is being used to help the US military to identify potential IS targets. | Even now one can assume that surveillance being carried out by the RAF's latest spy plane - the Rivet Joint - is being used to help the US military to identify potential IS targets. |
| The eight Tornado jets already at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, and currently being used for surveillance, could easily switch to a bombing role. But such a move would probably have to be approved by the Cyprus government. | |
| The political language is changing - perhaps a sign that ministers are preparing the ground for airstrikes. The military hardware is in place. But there are still obstacles - not least consulting Parliament. | The political language is changing - perhaps a sign that ministers are preparing the ground for airstrikes. The military hardware is in place. But there are still obstacles - not least consulting Parliament. |
| Mr Cameron, who warned in a Sunday Telegraph article at the weekend that IS could target the UK unless action is taken, told BBC Breakfast there was a "political and extremism crisis" in Iraq that had a "direct effect" on the UK. | Mr Cameron, who warned in a Sunday Telegraph article at the weekend that IS could target the UK unless action is taken, told BBC Breakfast there was a "political and extremism crisis" in Iraq that had a "direct effect" on the UK. |
| He said: "Britain is not going to get involved in another war in Iraq. | He said: "Britain is not going to get involved in another war in Iraq. |
| "We are not going to be putting boots on the ground. We are not going to be sending in the British Army." | "We are not going to be putting boots on the ground. We are not going to be sending in the British Army." |
| He said Britain would "use the assets that we do have" and work with its allies and the Iraqi government. | He said Britain would "use the assets that we do have" and work with its allies and the Iraqi government. |
| The government would "look favourably" on a request for arms from Kurdish fighters, he added. | The government would "look favourably" on a request for arms from Kurdish fighters, he added. |
| Mr Cameron has faced demands to recall Parliament, which is on its summer break, to discuss Iraq, but he said he did "not think it is necessary", adding: "We are not contemplating things that would require that." | |
| On Sunday, Kurdish forces - aided by US air strikes - were reported to have regained control of the strategically important Mosul dam after ousting IS militants. The facility was seized by IS earlier this month. | On Sunday, Kurdish forces - aided by US air strikes - were reported to have regained control of the strategically important Mosul dam after ousting IS militants. The facility was seized by IS earlier this month. |
| Mr Fallon told military personnel on a visit to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus that the UK's role in Iraq had expanded beyond the original humanitarian mission. | Mr Fallon told military personnel on a visit to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus that the UK's role in Iraq had expanded beyond the original humanitarian mission. |
| He said the RAF was flying missions to gather intelligence about movements of IS militants. | He said the RAF was flying missions to gather intelligence about movements of IS militants. |
| The defence secretary made it clear that crews in Cyprus would be involved in Iraq for some time. | The defence secretary made it clear that crews in Cyprus would be involved in Iraq for some time. |
| "There may well now be in the next few weeks and months other ways that we may need to help save life [and] protect people and we are going to need all of you again and the surveillance you are able to give us," he told the service members. | "There may well now be in the next few weeks and months other ways that we may need to help save life [and] protect people and we are going to need all of you again and the surveillance you are able to give us," he told the service members. |
| "We want to help the new government of Iraq and Kurdish forces. We want to help them stop the advance of IS and stop them from being terrorised. | "We want to help the new government of Iraq and Kurdish forces. We want to help them stop the advance of IS and stop them from being terrorised. |
| "This is not simply a humanitarian mission. We and other countries in Europe are determined to do what we can to help the government of Iraq combat this new and very extreme form of terrorism that IS is promoting." | "This is not simply a humanitarian mission. We and other countries in Europe are determined to do what we can to help the government of Iraq combat this new and very extreme form of terrorism that IS is promoting." |
| Mr Fallon said the RAF had now deployed the Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft alongside Tornado bombers to provide vital intelligence on IS movements across Iraq. | Mr Fallon said the RAF had now deployed the Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft alongside Tornado bombers to provide vital intelligence on IS movements across Iraq. |
| He also said four Chinook helicopters remained on stand-by to carry out any airlift of refugees fleeing violence if necessary. | He also said four Chinook helicopters remained on stand-by to carry out any airlift of refugees fleeing violence if necessary. |
| Troops from the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire regiment had been sent into the Kurdish capital Irbil for 24 hours to prepare the ground for a possible rescue mission by the helicopters. | Troops from the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire regiment had been sent into the Kurdish capital Irbil for 24 hours to prepare the ground for a possible rescue mission by the helicopters. |
| They have now left but BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said British special forces were still believed to be in northern Iraq. | They have now left but BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said British special forces were still believed to be in northern Iraq. |
| Mr Fallon said the UK had already transported ammunition and arms supplied by other countries to re-supply Kurdish forces, adding that Britain might also provide equipment such as body armour and night-vision goggles. | Mr Fallon said the UK had already transported ammunition and arms supplied by other countries to re-supply Kurdish forces, adding that Britain might also provide equipment such as body armour and night-vision goggles. |
| For Labour, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander told BBC Breakfast: "It is important to understand the nature of the mission that British forces are now engaged in." | For Labour, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander told BBC Breakfast: "It is important to understand the nature of the mission that British forces are now engaged in." |
| He called for "clarity" from the government but added: "We have supported the steps that the British government, along with other European allies, have taken." | He called for "clarity" from the government but added: "We have supported the steps that the British government, along with other European allies, have taken." |
| Conservative MP Rory Stewart, the chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, questioned whether extra troops could bring peace to Iraq. | Conservative MP Rory Stewart, the chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, questioned whether extra troops could bring peace to Iraq. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This idea that there is somehow some grand military scheme which it simply takes the willpower and money to achieve, I am not convinced by. We would need to see what on earth that plan is." | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This idea that there is somehow some grand military scheme which it simply takes the willpower and money to achieve, I am not convinced by. We would need to see what on earth that plan is." |
| Kurdish officials said the next objective was to clear IS fighters from the Nineveh plain, north-west of Baghdad, "to ensure the return of minorities". | |
| Mr Cameron faced criticism from church leaders who expressed concern that the UK had no "coherent" approach to tackling Islamic extremism. | |
| The Bishop of Leeds warned "many" senior clergy in the Church of England were seriously concerned about Britain's approach to the handling of the Iraq crisis. | The Bishop of Leeds warned "many" senior clergy in the Church of England were seriously concerned about Britain's approach to the handling of the Iraq crisis. |
| Thousands of Christians and Yazidis have fled their homes to escape IS fighters. IS has also persecuted Shia Muslims, whom it does not regard as true Muslims. | Thousands of Christians and Yazidis have fled their homes to escape IS fighters. IS has also persecuted Shia Muslims, whom it does not regard as true Muslims. |