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Obama Warns of ‘Long-Term’ Iraq Strikes | |
(35 minutes later) | |
WASHINGTON — Laying the groundwork for an extended airstrike campaign against Sunni militants in Iraq, President Obama said Saturday that the strikes that began the day before could continue for months as the Iraqis build a new government. | WASHINGTON — Laying the groundwork for an extended airstrike campaign against Sunni militants in Iraq, President Obama said Saturday that the strikes that began the day before could continue for months as the Iraqis build a new government. |
“I don’t think we’re going to solve this problem in weeks,” Mr. Obama told reporters before leaving for a two-week vacation on Martha’s Vineyard. “This is going to be a long-term project.” | “I don’t think we’re going to solve this problem in weeks,” Mr. Obama told reporters before leaving for a two-week vacation on Martha’s Vineyard. “This is going to be a long-term project.” |
The president repeated his insistence that the United States would not send ground combat troops back to Iraq. But he pledged that the United States and other countries would stand with Iraqi leaders against the militants if the leaders build an inclusive government in the months ahead. | The president repeated his insistence that the United States would not send ground combat troops back to Iraq. But he pledged that the United States and other countries would stand with Iraqi leaders against the militants if the leaders build an inclusive government in the months ahead. |
Hours before Mr. Obama spoke, Sunni militants in northern Iraq ordered engineers to return to work on the Mosul Dam, the country’s largest, suggesting that the extremists who captured the dam last week after fierce battles with Kurdish forces will use it, at least for now, to provide water and electricity to the areas they control, and not as a weapon. | Hours before Mr. Obama spoke, Sunni militants in northern Iraq ordered engineers to return to work on the Mosul Dam, the country’s largest, suggesting that the extremists who captured the dam last week after fierce battles with Kurdish forces will use it, at least for now, to provide water and electricity to the areas they control, and not as a weapon. |
Prompted by the seizure of the dam by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, along with the dire circumstances of tens of thousands of civilians stranded in the mountains near Sinjar, in northwestern Iraq, President Obama quickly ordered airdrops of humanitarian aid and airstrikes on militant positions near the Kurdish capital, Erbil. | Prompted by the seizure of the dam by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, along with the dire circumstances of tens of thousands of civilians stranded in the mountains near Sinjar, in northwestern Iraq, President Obama quickly ordered airdrops of humanitarian aid and airstrikes on militant positions near the Kurdish capital, Erbil. |
As ISIS consolidates its control of territory, it has acted brutally, carrying out executions and forcing out minority groups. But it has also displayed an intent to act strategically when it comes to natural resources, highlighted by the call on Saturday for engineers on the dam to get back to work. | As ISIS consolidates its control of territory, it has acted brutally, carrying out executions and forcing out minority groups. But it has also displayed an intent to act strategically when it comes to natural resources, highlighted by the call on Saturday for engineers on the dam to get back to work. |
Its control over the dam, however, also gives the group the ability to create a civilian catastrophe: A break in the fragile dam could unleash a tidal wave over the city of Mosul and cause flooding and countless deaths along the Tigris River south to Baghdad and beyond, experts have said. | Its control over the dam, however, also gives the group the ability to create a civilian catastrophe: A break in the fragile dam could unleash a tidal wave over the city of Mosul and cause flooding and countless deaths along the Tigris River south to Baghdad and beyond, experts have said. |
The ISIS order came as residents in Mosul reported that nearly two dozen bodies of ISIS fighters, said to be killed in American airstrikes, arrived at the city’s morgue, while at least 30 wounded fighters were being treated at a hospital. | The ISIS order came as residents in Mosul reported that nearly two dozen bodies of ISIS fighters, said to be killed in American airstrikes, arrived at the city’s morgue, while at least 30 wounded fighters were being treated at a hospital. |
In Baghdad, efforts by leaders to name a replacement for Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, a Shiite, stalled, with Mr. Maliki clinging to power and rivals unable to decide on an alternative. A session of Parliament scheduled for Sunday — when leaders had been expected to nominate a new prime minister — was postponed until Monday, as some Shiite leaders rushed to Iran, which holds enormous power in Iraq, and Sunni politicians visited Erbil to confer with the Kurds. | In Baghdad, efforts by leaders to name a replacement for Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, a Shiite, stalled, with Mr. Maliki clinging to power and rivals unable to decide on an alternative. A session of Parliament scheduled for Sunday — when leaders had been expected to nominate a new prime minister — was postponed until Monday, as some Shiite leaders rushed to Iran, which holds enormous power in Iraq, and Sunni politicians visited Erbil to confer with the Kurds. |
“Until this moment, nothing has changed,” said Kamal al-Saadi, a member of Parliament from Mr. Maliki’s bloc. “We are sticking with our only candidate, Maliki.” | “Until this moment, nothing has changed,” said Kamal al-Saadi, a member of Parliament from Mr. Maliki’s bloc. “We are sticking with our only candidate, Maliki.” |
Earlier, Mr. Obama had suggested that wider American military support, including an expansion of the airstrikes, could come if Iraqi leaders formed a national unity government with meaningful roles for the country’s two main minority groups, Sunnis and Kurds. Without saying so explicitly, American officials have been quietly working to replace Mr. Maliki because they believe that he is incapable of uniting the country to face the militant threat. | Earlier, Mr. Obama had suggested that wider American military support, including an expansion of the airstrikes, could come if Iraqi leaders formed a national unity government with meaningful roles for the country’s two main minority groups, Sunnis and Kurds. Without saying so explicitly, American officials have been quietly working to replace Mr. Maliki because they believe that he is incapable of uniting the country to face the militant threat. |
On Saturday, Mr. Obama said an inclusive Iraqi government would give all Iraqis a reason to believe that they were represented and help give Iraqi military forces a reason to fight back against the militants. | On Saturday, Mr. Obama said an inclusive Iraqi government would give all Iraqis a reason to believe that they were represented and help give Iraqi military forces a reason to fight back against the militants. |
His announcement prompted immediate criticism from Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, who said in an interview by telephone from Vietnam that the president’s vision for the campaign was insufficient to fight “the richest, most powerful terrorist organization in history.” | His announcement prompted immediate criticism from Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, who said in an interview by telephone from Vietnam that the president’s vision for the campaign was insufficient to fight “the richest, most powerful terrorist organization in history.” |
The United States continued on Saturday its efforts to address the crisis in Iraq, as three American military cargo planes, escorted by Navy F-18 fighter jets, dropped more food and water on Mount Sinjar to help refugees who fled there under threat from the Sunni militants. | The United States continued on Saturday its efforts to address the crisis in Iraq, as three American military cargo planes, escorted by Navy F-18 fighter jets, dropped more food and water on Mount Sinjar to help refugees who fled there under threat from the Sunni militants. |
The humanitarian assistance came after a day of military strikes by Navy warplanes and Predator drones on ISIS artillery positions. The planes — one C-17 and two C-130s — dropped more than 28,000 ready-to-eat meals and more than 1,500 gallons of fresh drinking water, the Pentagon said. That brings the number of meals delivered to the refugees to 36,224 in the last two days. | The humanitarian assistance came after a day of military strikes by Navy warplanes and Predator drones on ISIS artillery positions. The planes — one C-17 and two C-130s — dropped more than 28,000 ready-to-eat meals and more than 1,500 gallons of fresh drinking water, the Pentagon said. That brings the number of meals delivered to the refugees to 36,224 in the last two days. |
In London, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in a statement on television that Royal Air Force planes would begin humanitarian airdrops in northern Iraq “imminently.” | In London, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in a statement on television that Royal Air Force planes would begin humanitarian airdrops in northern Iraq “imminently.” |
Britain announced Friday that it would support the American relief effort there but would avoid military action. Britain was a close ally of the United States in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and in operations in Afghanistan, but its appetite for overseas military deployments has faded. Last year, Parliament refused to authorize military action in Syria in response to the use of chemical weapons in the civil war there. | Britain announced Friday that it would support the American relief effort there but would avoid military action. Britain was a close ally of the United States in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and in operations in Afghanistan, but its appetite for overseas military deployments has faded. Last year, Parliament refused to authorize military action in Syria in response to the use of chemical weapons in the civil war there. |
ISIS’s advance northward over the last week appears to be a shift in strategy, as the group had previously announced its intent to march on Baghdad. That was stalled when Shiite militias quickly mobilized to defend the capital. | ISIS’s advance northward over the last week appears to be a shift in strategy, as the group had previously announced its intent to march on Baghdad. That was stalled when Shiite militias quickly mobilized to defend the capital. |
While ISIS has been the most prominent fighting force of the Sunni insurgency in Iraq, its gains could not have come without the support of other Sunni groups, experts say, including fighters aligned with Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party, which is not sympathetic to the religious extremism of ISIS but is seen as more intent on taking the fight to Baghdad and trying to topple the central government. | While ISIS has been the most prominent fighting force of the Sunni insurgency in Iraq, its gains could not have come without the support of other Sunni groups, experts say, including fighters aligned with Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party, which is not sympathetic to the religious extremism of ISIS but is seen as more intent on taking the fight to Baghdad and trying to topple the central government. |
In a recent statement, the Iraqi Baath Party condemned ISIS’s attacks on the Kurdish region, suggesting emerging fissures in the alliance of Sunni resistance. “We categorically reject the fight against Kurdistan,” the statement said. “Kurdistan and its government were a safe haven to all Iraqis.” | In a recent statement, the Iraqi Baath Party condemned ISIS’s attacks on the Kurdish region, suggesting emerging fissures in the alliance of Sunni resistance. “We categorically reject the fight against Kurdistan,” the statement said. “Kurdistan and its government were a safe haven to all Iraqis.” |
The statement added, “We call on all military brigades to move on Baghdad instead.” | The statement added, “We call on all military brigades to move on Baghdad instead.” |
As ISIS went to work securing the Mosul Dam on Saturday, its fighters appeared to make progress in an battle for control of the Haditha Dam, Iraq’s second largest, which sits on the Euphrates River farther south in Anbar Province. Security forces said militants had destroyed a strategic bridge near the town of Barwana, which government forces had been using to resupply fighting units. | As ISIS went to work securing the Mosul Dam on Saturday, its fighters appeared to make progress in an battle for control of the Haditha Dam, Iraq’s second largest, which sits on the Euphrates River farther south in Anbar Province. Security forces said militants had destroyed a strategic bridge near the town of Barwana, which government forces had been using to resupply fighting units. |
Within ISIS-controlled territory, the new American involvement in Iraq has become a rallying cry. With the ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who has declared areas under his control in Iraq and Syria a new Islamic caliphate, calling for jihad against the United States, imams have called on citizens to fight the United States. | Within ISIS-controlled territory, the new American involvement in Iraq has become a rallying cry. With the ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who has declared areas under his control in Iraq and Syria a new Islamic caliphate, calling for jihad against the United States, imams have called on citizens to fight the United States. |
One preacher in Falluja, which has been under ISIS control since the end of last year, said at Friday Prayer: “We know there comes a day to fight the United States. We are ready to march towards Erbil and Baghdad. The Islamic State will not be defeated and we are willing to keep pursuing jihad, according to the plans.” | One preacher in Falluja, which has been under ISIS control since the end of last year, said at Friday Prayer: “We know there comes a day to fight the United States. We are ready to march towards Erbil and Baghdad. The Islamic State will not be defeated and we are willing to keep pursuing jihad, according to the plans.” |