This article is from the source 'bbc' 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.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29139462
The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| John Kerry anti-Islamic State tour starts in Iraq | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US Secretary of State John Kerry has landed in Baghdad in Iraq at the start of a Middle East tour to build support for action against Islamic State (IS). | |
| Mr Kerry is due to meet new Iraqi PM Haidar al-Abadi less than 48 hours after a unity government was agreed. | |
| An inclusive government was a condition for greater US and Nato support in the fight against IS militants who have taken over large parts of the country. | |
| President Obama said he had authority to widen military action against IS. | |
| Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Obama said he could do this without approval from Congress, though he would still ask it to approve the arming of Syrian opposition forces. | |
| He is due to address the nation on Wednesday evening. | |
| IS militants have taken over large parts of Syria and Iraq in recent months and have declared a "caliphate". | |
| In the past month, IS militants have beheaded two US journalists in protest against American airstrikes on its forces in Iraq. | |
| Mr Kerry's tour is due to continue in Saudi Arabia and other regional capitals, where he is hoping to boost military, political and financial support for the fight against IS. | |
| He is expected to ask Iraq's Sunni neighbours to show solidarity with Baghdad. |