Dempsey: US Ground Troops in Iraq Possible, Protesters Disrupt Senate Hearing

Local Editor

Anti-war protesters in the US interrupted a Senate hearing on several occasions on Tuesday as the top military commanders were outlining military plans in Syria.

CodePink protesters were forced to leave the hearing as the Senate Armed Services Committee heard testimony from US Secretary of War Chuck Hagel and other officials on US President Barack Obama's plan to destroy so-called "Daesh" [ISIL] terrorists.

Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the CodePink, interrupted at least four times the proceedings during the first hour of the hearing as she shouted, "Don't drag us into another war!" with police then leading her out of the room.
She was also holding a sign that read, "More war = More... extremism."

Hagel meanwhile told senators that the US is "at war" with Daesh in Syria and Iraq. The Pentagon said the US fight against Daesh "will not be an easy or brief effort. It is complicated."

"We are at war with ISIL, as we are with al-Qaeda," Hagel said. "But destroying ISIL will require more than military efforts alone. It will require political progress in the region, and effective partners on the ground in Iraq and Syria."

The most senior US military officer, Gen. Martin Dempsey, raised the possibility on Tuesday that American troops might need to take on a larger ground role to attempt to fend off so-called "Daesh" [ISIL] in Iraq.

Dempsey, chairman of the US military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there was no intention of placing American military advisers on the ground for direct combat. The US plan relies however on other contributions, including airstrikes.

However, he told a Senate hearing: "I've mentioned, though, that if I found that circumstance evolving, that I would, of course, change my recommendation."

Dempsey offered scenarios in which a larger role might be worthwhile, including embedding US forces with Iraqis during a complicated offensive, such as a battle to retake the northern city of Mosul from Daesh militants.

"It could very well be part of that particular mission to provide close combat advising or accompanying for that mission," he said.

Responding to Dempsey's comments, US White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that Dempsey was "referring to a hypothetical scenario in which there might be a future situation where he might make a tactical recommendation to the president as it relates to ground troops."

The Pentagon has deployed more than 1000 troops to Iraq. The US calls them military advisors, but according to American defense officials, the troops are comprised of Marines and special operations forces from the US Central Command region.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team