Obama: US Troop Increase in Iraq Signals ’New Phase’

Local Editor

US President Barack Obama said that the deployment of an additional 1,500 American troops to Iraq marks a "new phase" in the campaign against so-called "Daesh" ["ISIL"], in comments broadcast on Sunday.

Obama told CBS News that, "Phase one was getting an Iraqi government that was inclusive and credible -- and we now have done that."
"Rather than just try to halt "ISIL's" momentum, we're now in a position to start going on some offense," he said.

When asked if any more US forces will be sent to Iraq in the future, Obama said: "I'm never going to say never," but said the current plan was to see fewer US troops over time.

According to him, he stressed that the US forces would not engage in combat, and would focus on training Iraqi recruits and some of the tribes that are fighting "Daesh".

"We will provide them close air support once they are prepared to start going on the offense against "ISIL"," Obama told CBS's Face the Nation television program.

Obama announced on Friday that the United States would send up to 1,500 additional troops to Iraq to aid the Baghdad government and Kurdish forces fighting "Daesh", doubling the number of US troops in the country.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team