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| France Plans Arms Shipments to Kurdish Forces in Iraq | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| PARIS — Breaking ranks with other European countries, France announced on Wednesday that it would send arms to the embattled Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq threatened by Sunni militants who have also encircled refugees on a remote mountaintop. | |
| “In order to respond to the urgent needs expressed by the Kurdistan regional authorities, the president has decided, in agreement with Baghdad, to deliver arms in the coming hours,” said a statement from the office of President François Hollande. | |
| The presidential statement said that the population of Iraqi Kurdistan was facing a “catastrophic situation” and that arms deliveries would be coordinated with government officials in Baghdad. | |
| Mr. Hollande noted his support for Iraq’s designated new prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, and called for the quick establishment of a unity government capable of repelling advances by militants of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. | |
| The announcement came a day after the European Union failed to establish a common policy among its 28 members but agreed that individual states could, in agreement with Baghdad, send weapons to the Kurdish pesh merga forces. | |
| The French move also coincided with what seemed to be the gathering pace of American efforts to help evacuate thousands of Yazidi people trapped on Mount Sinjar, possibly by establishing a humanitarian corridor to save them from militants laying siege to them. | |
| In London, the British authorities, facing a mounting drumbeat of calls on Wednesday for stronger military action in northern Iraq, announced plans to send a “small number” of Chinook helicopters and to transport military equipment supplied by other countries to Kurdish fighters in the American-led campaign against Sunni militants, officials said. | |
| But the government in London continued to insist that it was focused on humanitarian relief efforts, notably to get water and other supplies to thousands of Yazidis besieged on the arid, baking heights of Mount Sinjar, rather than on offering direct military involvement. | |
| In recent days, with many government leaders including Prime Minister David Cameron on vacation, Britain has slowly stepped up its relief effort, sending three Tornado warplanes on surveillance missions to support airdrops by C-130 military cargo planes. | In recent days, with many government leaders including Prime Minister David Cameron on vacation, Britain has slowly stepped up its relief effort, sending three Tornado warplanes on surveillance missions to support airdrops by C-130 military cargo planes. |
| “Our focus remains the humanitarian situation, particularly those trapped on Mount Sinjar,” Mr. Cameron’s office said in a statement. “Three U.K. aid drops have now taken place, with two C-130s delivering 3,180 reusable water containers, filled with a total of 15,900 liters of clean water, and 816 solar lanterns overnight.” | “Our focus remains the humanitarian situation, particularly those trapped on Mount Sinjar,” Mr. Cameron’s office said in a statement. “Three U.K. aid drops have now taken place, with two C-130s delivering 3,180 reusable water containers, filled with a total of 15,900 liters of clean water, and 816 solar lanterns overnight.” |
| “We will continue with these deliveries,” the statement said. “And, as part of our efforts to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Iraq, we are sending a small number of Chinook helicopters to the region for use if we decide we need further humanitarian relief options.” | “We will continue with these deliveries,” the statement said. “And, as part of our efforts to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Iraq, we are sending a small number of Chinook helicopters to the region for use if we decide we need further humanitarian relief options.” |
| Chinooks are twin-rotor heavy-lift helicopters often used to transport troops and equipment. | Chinooks are twin-rotor heavy-lift helicopters often used to transport troops and equipment. |
| France was also planning a second shipment of 20 tons of humanitarian aid, including medicine, tents and water treatment equipment, that was expected to arrive in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry in Paris said. | France was also planning a second shipment of 20 tons of humanitarian aid, including medicine, tents and water treatment equipment, that was expected to arrive in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry in Paris said. |
| The shipment would help 50,000 people and more aid would be sent in coming days “to aid populations in serious danger,” The Associated Press reported. | The shipment would help 50,000 people and more aid would be sent in coming days “to aid populations in serious danger,” The Associated Press reported. |
| The United States has taken the lead in providing support to the Kurdish region, with the Pentagon sending an additional 130 military advisers to northern Iraq to help plan the evacuation of thousands of Yazidis, a minority religious group. | The United States has taken the lead in providing support to the Kurdish region, with the Pentagon sending an additional 130 military advisers to northern Iraq to help plan the evacuation of thousands of Yazidis, a minority religious group. |
| The deployment brought the number of American military personnel in Iraq to more than 1,000, less than three years after the last combat troops left the country. A senior administration official also said the American military was drawing up plans for consideration by President Obama that could include American ground troops in what is likely to be an international effort to rescue the refugees. | The deployment brought the number of American military personnel in Iraq to more than 1,000, less than three years after the last combat troops left the country. A senior administration official also said the American military was drawing up plans for consideration by President Obama that could include American ground troops in what is likely to be an international effort to rescue the refugees. |
| Around 900 American military advisers and security personnel were already in Iraq working with Iraqi security forces and protecting American personnel at the embassy in Baghdad and at other sites. | Around 900 American military advisers and security personnel were already in Iraq working with Iraqi security forces and protecting American personnel at the embassy in Baghdad and at other sites. |
| Britain’s limited involvement has drawn complaints from high-profile former military commanders that the country, which played a central role in enforcing a no-fly zone that shielded the Kurds in the Saddam Hussein era, should do more now that Kurds are threatened by Sunni militants from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. | Britain’s limited involvement has drawn complaints from high-profile former military commanders that the country, which played a central role in enforcing a no-fly zone that shielded the Kurds in the Saddam Hussein era, should do more now that Kurds are threatened by Sunni militants from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. |
| Col. Tim Collins of the British Army, who gained prominence in the American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, said the British aid effort was a “pebble in the ocean” compared to what was needed, saying the government had “left for lunch” while politicians shied from a moral obligation to help arm and train the Kurdish pesh merga forces. | Col. Tim Collins of the British Army, who gained prominence in the American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, said the British aid effort was a “pebble in the ocean” compared to what was needed, saying the government had “left for lunch” while politicians shied from a moral obligation to help arm and train the Kurdish pesh merga forces. |
| “We should also be taking part in air strikes and urging our coalition partners including Turkey, France, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to take part,” he wrote in The Daily Telegraph. | “We should also be taking part in air strikes and urging our coalition partners including Turkey, France, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to take part,” he wrote in The Daily Telegraph. |
| The newspaper also quoted Gen. Sir Mike Jackson, head of the British Army during the Iraq invasion, as saying: “Given our history over recent years in Iraq, we have a moral duty to do what we can on humanitarian grounds. I would have no difficulty at all in saying that we should be alongside the United States and up the British ante to the use of air power, on humanitarian grounds.” | The newspaper also quoted Gen. Sir Mike Jackson, head of the British Army during the Iraq invasion, as saying: “Given our history over recent years in Iraq, we have a moral duty to do what we can on humanitarian grounds. I would have no difficulty at all in saying that we should be alongside the United States and up the British ante to the use of air power, on humanitarian grounds.” |
| Even within the Anglican Church, there were voices raising the possibility of a stronger military response. | Even within the Anglican Church, there were voices raising the possibility of a stronger military response. |
| The Rev. Rose Hudson-Wilkin, a chaplain in Parliament, said in a television interview: “When you hear of such tragedy unfolding before your very eyes, you cannot help but see this is genocide. And I just think that Britain, the European Union, the world community, we have got to respond.” | The Rev. Rose Hudson-Wilkin, a chaplain in Parliament, said in a television interview: “When you hear of such tragedy unfolding before your very eyes, you cannot help but see this is genocide. And I just think that Britain, the European Union, the world community, we have got to respond.” |
| She added: “Maybe we need to go to the extent of military action, I don’t know. But we need to somehow go to the assistance of these people.” | She added: “Maybe we need to go to the extent of military action, I don’t know. But we need to somehow go to the assistance of these people.” |
| Some lawmakers have also called for Parliament to be recalled from its summer recess to debate the possibility of a broad international campaign against the Sunni militants. | Some lawmakers have also called for Parliament to be recalled from its summer recess to debate the possibility of a broad international campaign against the Sunni militants. |