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Obama’s plan to counter Islamic State broadly welcomed in Iraq | Obama’s plan to counter Islamic State broadly welcomed in Iraq |
(about 2 hours later) | |
BAGHDAD — President Obama’s plan to expand airstrikes and back the creation of a new Iraqi national guard force to counter the Islamic State was broadly welcomed in Iraq on Thursday, though some complained that the United States should have been quicker to act against the rapidly expanding threat posed by the militants. | |
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s office issued a statement praising Obama’s strategy to “degrade and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State. But the statement also noted that it was the “duty of the Iraqis’’ to defeat the militants with international assistance. | |
Iraqi political and military leaders have been pushing for decisive U.S. military action since militants seized control of two cities in Iraq’s western province of Anbar eight months ago. But Washington was reluctant to provide support to then Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whose sectarian policies were seen as favoring Iraq’s majority Shiites and alienating Sunnis. | |
Obama's announcement that he wouldn’t hesitate to hit the al-Qaeda splinter group in locations in both Syria and Iraq followed the creation of a new Iraqi government on Monday. | |
Secretary of State John F. Kerry made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Thursday to congratulate Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on his efforts. | |
“We see the combination of Kerry’s visit and Obama’s speech as very positive,” said Saad al-Muttalibi, a parliamentarian from Abadi’s political bloc. “This is an opportunity for real partnership and Iraqis realize that we need a proactive relationship with the United States to face Islamic State.” | |
However, “the world had expected more from the United States” earlier in the crisis, he said. | |
The more than 150 airstrikes so far have been limited in both their geography and the strategic value of targets. They have been confined to the vicinity of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in the country’s north and around key infrastructure. Iraqi officials say they now expect strikes to expand to other areas of the country, including the Baghdad vicinity, which have become flashpoints of the conflict. | |
“We face so many challenges ahead but the Iraqi people have the will to destroy these terrorist groups, especially now there is Arabian support and international support,” Lt. Gen. Qassim Atta, spokesman for the Iraqi army said in a televised address. “Everybody is focusing on destroying this terrorist enemy which has no religion.” | “We face so many challenges ahead but the Iraqi people have the will to destroy these terrorist groups, especially now there is Arabian support and international support,” Lt. Gen. Qassim Atta, spokesman for the Iraqi army said in a televised address. “Everybody is focusing on destroying this terrorist enemy which has no religion.” |
Kurdish officials also wanted a strong commitment from the White House that it would extend the battles against the Islamic State into Syria, where the group has key outposts. Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, a Kurd, said the president’s speech delivered those assurances. | |
“We’re very pleased about the speech; the tone of the speech and the seriousness of the speech,’’ Talabani said. | |
Talabani said the Kurds would reject any approach that presumed that the threat from the Islamic radicals could be managed or contained. “It has to be destroyed,” Talabani said. “We have fought this fight on behalf of the rest of the world and we are proud of it, but we are not suicidal.” | |
Obama also threw his weight behind the creation of a new Iraqi national guard force on Wednesday night. | |
Officials hope the national guard will revive the Awakening Movement, the Sunni tribal forces that fought alongside the Americans against al-Qaeda. But they also plan for the organization to include Kurdish pesh merga fighters and Shiite militias. | |
Abu Azzam al-Tamimi, a government adviser on outreach to Sunni tribes, described the U.S. backing of the project as a “relief.” He said a law approving the provincial forces is expected within two weeks, but doubts remain whether the Kurds and Shiite militias will give their support. | |
Talabani clearly rejected the notion that the pesh merga forces would be incorporated into a National Guard. But Naim al-Abboudi, a spokesman for Asaib Ahl al-Haqq, a Shiite militia that once battled American troops, said his organization was willing to be incorporated. | |
Kerry was in Jeddah on Thursday to meet Arab leaders — part of U.S. efforts to build a broad coalition against the Islamic State militants. | Kerry was in Jeddah on Thursday to meet Arab leaders — part of U.S. efforts to build a broad coalition against the Islamic State militants. |
In Europe, France said on Wednesday that it is willing to participate in airstrikes if necessary. French foreign minister Laurent Fabius called for international unity against “this transnational danger that could reach all the way to our soil,” the Associated Press reported. | In Europe, France said on Wednesday that it is willing to participate in airstrikes if necessary. French foreign minister Laurent Fabius called for international unity against “this transnational danger that could reach all the way to our soil,” the Associated Press reported. |
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said London “must be prepared to intensify our contribution” in the fight against the Islamic State. But he stressed that any decision to conduct airstrikes would face a parliament vote. | |
Meanwhile, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, told Israel Radio in an interview that Israel and the United States would work together to fight against the Islamic State. | |
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to comment on Obama’s speech, but is expected to later today during an address at a summit on counter-terrorism. | |
Loveday.Morris@washpost.com | |
Mustafa Salim contributed from Baghdad. Karla Adam reported from London. | Mustafa Salim contributed from Baghdad. Karla Adam reported from London. |