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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| President Obama to address troops on anti-IS strategy | President Obama to address troops on anti-IS strategy |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| President Barack Obama is to address US troops involved in his new strategy to "degrade and destroy" Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq and Syria. | President Barack Obama is to address US troops involved in his new strategy to "degrade and destroy" Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq and Syria. |
| He will also be briefed by commanders at the Florida headquarters of Central Command, which covers the region. | |
| The president has said US troops will not have a combat mission in Iraq, under the strategy outlined last week. | The president has said US troops will not have a combat mission in Iraq, under the strategy outlined last week. |
| But ground forces may be sent if a new international coalition fails to defeat IS, the top US general said on Tuesday. | But ground forces may be sent if a new international coalition fails to defeat IS, the top US general said on Tuesday. |
| Gen Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate committee that an international effort against IS was currently the "appropriate way forward". | Gen Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate committee that an international effort against IS was currently the "appropriate way forward". |
| However, he said "if that fails to be true, and there are threats to the United States, then I of course would go back to the president and make a recommendation that may include the use of US military ground forces". | However, he said "if that fails to be true, and there are threats to the United States, then I of course would go back to the president and make a recommendation that may include the use of US military ground forces". |
| Gen Dempsey confirmed that under the current plan, US military advisers would help the Iraqi army to plan attacks against IS, previously known as Isil and Isis. | |
| The jihadist group controls large areas of Syria and northern Iraq. It has between 20,000 and 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, according to CIA estimates. | The jihadist group controls large areas of Syria and northern Iraq. It has between 20,000 and 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, according to CIA estimates. |
| Stepped up strikes | Stepped up strikes |
| Mr Obama arrived overnight in Tampa, Florida, where Central Command (Centcom) - responsible for the Middle East and Central Asia - is based. | |
| "As we implement the president's strategy to degrade and ultimately defeat Isil, it's the men and women of Centcom who will partner with others in the region to carry out our limited military mission in those countries," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on Tuesday. | "As we implement the president's strategy to degrade and ultimately defeat Isil, it's the men and women of Centcom who will partner with others in the region to carry out our limited military mission in those countries," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on Tuesday. |
| Iraqi Prime Minister Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Wednesday rejected as "out of the question" the possibility that foreign ground troops would be allowed to fight in his country. | |
| "Not only is it not necessary," he told the Associated Press, "We don't want them. We won't allow them. Full stop." | |
| On Tuesday, IS released what analysts described as a video response to the US moves. The slickly produced, Hollywood-style trailer for a film entitled Flames of War refers to Mr Obama's insistence that US combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq. | |
| In an apparent taunt, it depicts wounded US troops, masked executioners standing over kneeling captives, and declares at the conclusion: "Fighting has just begun." | |
| Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC defence correspondent | Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC defence correspondent |
| A commitment to avoid "boots on the ground" is seen as the acid test of President Obama's commitment to avoid drawing the US into another extended war in Iraq. But the US has already deployed some 1,600 military personnel to Iraq. | A commitment to avoid "boots on the ground" is seen as the acid test of President Obama's commitment to avoid drawing the US into another extended war in Iraq. But the US has already deployed some 1,600 military personnel to Iraq. |
| They are helping to protect US diplomatic facilities, operate drones, and train and mentor Iraqi forces. So far these mentoring teams are at the headquarters level. But many experts believe that this will eventually have to extend to units on the battlefield. | They are helping to protect US diplomatic facilities, operate drones, and train and mentor Iraqi forces. So far these mentoring teams are at the headquarters level. But many experts believe that this will eventually have to extend to units on the battlefield. |
| Senior US commanders already envisage a potential wider role for US forces. For now this is anathema to the White House which is still "selling" its new Iraq policy to its domestic audience. | Senior US commanders already envisage a potential wider role for US forces. For now this is anathema to the White House which is still "selling" its new Iraq policy to its domestic audience. |
| But over time, a refusal to deploy major US combat units may make more sense than blanket statements about "no boots on the ground." | But over time, a refusal to deploy major US combat units may make more sense than blanket statements about "no boots on the ground." |
| In recent weeks Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces backed by US jets and drones have been advancing against IS positions in northern Iraq. | |
| In his speech last week, President Obama unveiled a four-point plan to defeat IS using further air strikes, support for Iraqi troops, anti-terrorism activities and humanitarian aid. | In his speech last week, President Obama unveiled a four-point plan to defeat IS using further air strikes, support for Iraqi troops, anti-terrorism activities and humanitarian aid. |
| On Monday US aircraft carried out the first strike under the new strategy, south-west of Baghdad. | On Monday US aircraft carried out the first strike under the new strategy, south-west of Baghdad. |
| The US administration has also been working on a broad coalition to fight the jihadist group. | The US administration has also been working on a broad coalition to fight the jihadist group. |
| At the weekend 30 countries took part in a summit in Paris, and pledged to help Iraq fight IS "by all means necessary". | |
| Correspondents say the murders of two US journalists and a British aid worker by IS militants have added momentum to the plans. |