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Kerry in Iraq to congratulate new premier, build alliance against Islamic State U.S. plan to fight Islamic State depends on new Iraq leadership, Kerry says during visit
(about 2 hours later)
BAGHDAD — Secretary of State John F. Kerry came to Iraq on Wednesday to congratulate a new Iraq government on which the United States is basing much of its emerging strategy to counter Islamic State militants. BAGHDAD — The Obama administration’s emerging plan to turn back the rapid battlefield advances of Islamic State militants depends on new, multiethnic leadership in Iraq after years of sectarian strife and stagnation, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Wednesday.
Kerry met with new Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and other senior officials. His visit is timed to precede President Obama’s speech Wednesday evening laying out a multi-pronged plan to confront militants who have seized large swaths of Iraqi and Syrian territory with stunning speed and battlefield prowess. Kerry made an unannounced visit to the Iraqi capital to congratulate the new Baghdad government that took power peacefully this week amid spreading alarm about the militant network across the Middle East and beyond. The trip came hours ahead of President Obama’s speech laying out the multipronged strategy and pledge of broader U.S. support.
Abadi told Kerry that the threat from Islamic State militants is growing. “This is a fight that the Iraqi people must win, but it’s also a fight the rest of the world must win with them,” Kerry said, as he promised unspecified additional U.S. backing and resources for Iraq’s planned national guard forces and military campaign against the militants.
“It’s mobilizing an international network,” drawing funding and foreign fighters to their cause, Abadi said following a meeting with Kerry. “A new, inclusive Iraqi government has to be the engine of our global strategy against ISIL,” Kerry said, using an alternate acronym for the militant network that has proclaimed a caliphate on a third of Syrian and Iraqi territory.
“We are fighting these people,” Abadi said. “They are a challenge to the whole region, to the international community.” He appealed for more and immediate international help. “And now that the Iraqi parliament has approved a new cabinet with new leaders and representatives from all Iraqi communities, it’s full speed ahead,” Kerry said.
“This cancer is threatening the whole region, and we have the resolution to fight,” Abadi continued. Iraq was Kerry’s first stop on a recruitment tour of Arab and European nations to amass financial, political and military support for a long fight.
Abadi told Kerry that Iraq’s ability to fight the militants is limited since its forces cannot cross the Syrian border. Others must do that job, Abadi said, although he did not specifically call for U.S. airstrikes inside Syria. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who formally took power this week following months of political wrangling, told Kerry that the threat from Islamic State militants is growing.
“It’s mobilizing an international network,” drawing funding and foreign fighters to their cause, Abadi said after a meeting with Kerry.
“We are fighting these people,” he said. “They are a challenge to the whole region, to the international community.” He appealed for more and immediate international help.
“This cancer is threatening the whole region, and we have the resolution to fight,” he continued.
Abadi told Kerry that Iraq’s ability to fight the militants is limited because its forces cannot cross the Syrian border. Others must do that job, he said, although he did not specifically call for U.S. airstrikes on Syria.
The Obama administration is expected to launch such assaults later but is focused first on stopping the militant march in Iraq.The Obama administration is expected to launch such assaults later but is focused first on stopping the militant march in Iraq.
Syria has said it would consider any U.S. military action inside its borders to be a hostile act.Syria has said it would consider any U.S. military action inside its borders to be a hostile act.
Meeting later with new Iraqi President F0uad Massoum, Kerry said Obama’s speech and the strategy it will outline are tied to Iraq’s political progress. Meeting later with new Iraqi President Fouad Massoum, Kerry said Obama’s speech and the strategy it will outline are linked to Iraq’s political progress.
“There was no way that this strategy could be implemented without the government formation taking place,” Kerry said.“There was no way that this strategy could be implemented without the government formation taking place,” Kerry said.
Alluding to America’s long years of war and billions of dollars in investment in Iraq, Kerry said those who had made great sacrifices to help Iraq throw off dictatorship would be “gratified” by the new government. Alluding to the United States’ many years of war and billions of dollars in investment in Iraq, Kerry said those who had made great sacrifices to help Iraq throw off dictatorship would be “gratified” by the new government.
Kerry congratulated Abadi warmly and praised his early work to revamp the cabinet and address ways to more equitably share oil revenues across the country, a long-standing U.S. demand that went unmet by Abadi’s predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki. During a meeting with Salim al-Jubouri, the speaker of Iraq’s parliament, Kerry outlined some of Obama’s new strategy, Jubouri said.
“What I understood from him is that the airstrikes are no longer going to be in limited areas; they are going to be in every place that the terrorists exist,” he said. The United States has carried out more than 150 airstrikes in Iraq since its bombing campaign began a month ago, but they have been limited in scope, largely confined to the country’s north.
Jubouri said the United States has also pledged support for Iraq to build a new national guard, a regional security force manned by local recruits. The new force is aimed at handing security to the provinces and peeling back Iraq’s reliance on Shiite militias.
Kerry congratulated Abadi warmly and praised his early work to revamp the cabinet and address ways to more equitably share oil revenue across the country, a long-standing U.S. demand that went unmet by Abadi’s predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki.
“We’re very encouraged by the comments you’ve made here today and by your commitment to do this,” Kerry said. “I’m grateful to you, and as I told you the president will lay out tonight a more detailed description of exactly what the United States is prepared to do together with many other countries” to defeat the Islamic State.“We’re very encouraged by the comments you’ve made here today and by your commitment to do this,” Kerry said. “I’m grateful to you, and as I told you the president will lay out tonight a more detailed description of exactly what the United States is prepared to do together with many other countries” to defeat the Islamic State.
Kerry also praised Abadi’s plans to reinvigorate the Iraqi military to better fight the militants. U.S. advisers were shocked and disappointed by the poor performance of Iraqi units as the militants easily took towns and cities across northern Iraq and along the long border with Syria.Kerry also praised Abadi’s plans to reinvigorate the Iraqi military to better fight the militants. U.S. advisers were shocked and disappointed by the poor performance of Iraqi units as the militants easily took towns and cities across northern Iraq and along the long border with Syria.
The Obama administration is relieved that Abadi edged out Maliki, who never heeded Washington’s warnings that he must share power with Sunnis and Kurds or risk his country’s disintegration. Abadi has pledged to govern with genuine inclusivity, though many international observers and Iraqi Sunni leaders have doubts. Both Abadi and Maliki are members of Iraq’s Shiite Muslim majority. The Obama administration is relieved that Abadi edged out Maliki, who never heeded Washington’s warnings that he must share power with Sunnis and Kurds or risk his country’s disintegration. Abadi has pledged to govern with genuine inclusivity, although many international observers and Iraqi Sunni leaders have doubts. Both Abadi and Maliki are members of Iraq’s Shiite Muslim majority.
The United States is already conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq at the request of the Baghdad government. Washington is edging toward a broader assault, as Obama will discuss later Wednesday, but insists it is not a return to an American war in the Middle East. The United States already is conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq at the request of the Baghdad government. Washington is edging toward a broader assault, as Obama will discuss later Wednesday, but insists that it is not a return to an American war in the Middle East.
The new Iraq government is a cornerstone of the strategy, as American officials say they finally have a partner who can marshal Sunni support and look beyond his own narrow sectarian interests. The new Iraq government is a cornerstone of the strategy, as U.S. officials say they finally have a partner who can marshal Sunni support and look beyond his own narrow sectarian interests.
The U.S. plan relies on that broader base of support as a firmer foundation for Iraq to fight the militants, with help from a coalition of nations that Kerry will help line up during stops this week in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. The U.S. plan relies on that broader base of support as a firmer foundation for Iraq to fight the militants, with assistance from a coalition of nations that Kerry will help line up during stops this week in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.
Washington has conditioned some military aid and other support on an inclusive government, and Obama is expected to announce additional help for the new government Wednesday. Washington has conditioned some military aid and other support on an inclusive government, and Obama is expected to announce additional aid for the new government Wednesday.
Washington is encouraged by Abadi’s plan to loosen the central Shiite-led Baghdad government’s hold on security matters, long an irritant in Sunni areas. Some expanded international help for the new government is expected to further his plan to establish Iraqi national guard forces that answer to provincial governors.Washington is encouraged by Abadi’s plan to loosen the central Shiite-led Baghdad government’s hold on security matters, long an irritant in Sunni areas. Some expanded international help for the new government is expected to further his plan to establish Iraqi national guard forces that answer to provincial governors.
“The visit comes under circumstances in which there are real opportunities,” a senior State Department official said, citing “a real shake-up in the cabinet” and a chance for progress on key issues that have bedeviled Iraqi leaders for the past eight years.“The visit comes under circumstances in which there are real opportunities,” a senior State Department official said, citing “a real shake-up in the cabinet” and a chance for progress on key issues that have bedeviled Iraqi leaders for the past eight years.
The official added that the Obama administration is not naive about the challenges for Abadi or the new coalition supporting him.The official added that the Obama administration is not naive about the challenges for Abadi or the new coalition supporting him.
“This is going to be extremely, extremely difficult. The problems that are confronting Iraq are incredibly challenging,” the official said.“This is going to be extremely, extremely difficult. The problems that are confronting Iraq are incredibly challenging,” the official said.
Loveday Morris contributed to this report.