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U.S. Will Step Up Training of Iraqi Forces Fighting ISIS, Obama Says Ukraine Crisis and Advance of ISIS Dominate Agenda for Group of 7
(about 4 hours later)
KRÜN, Germany — President Obama said on Monday that he has asked the Pentagon for a plan to accelerate the American military’s efforts to train and equip Iraqi forces fighting the Islamic State, acknowledging that the militant group’s recent gains indicated a need for a shift in strategy. KRÜN, Germany — President Obama would have preferred to spend the summit meeting of the leaders of the seven leading industrial nations fully focused on big issues that he hopes will define his legacy, including confronting climate change and expanding global trade.
“We don’t have, yet, a complete strategy, because it requires commitments on the part of Iraqis as well,” Mr. Obama said at the close of a summit of the Group of 7 world leaders here. “The details are not worked out.” Instead, crisis diplomacy once again largely overshadowed those issues, as Mr. Obama and his Group of 7 counterparts struggled to confront the threats posed by the Islamic State and the persistent and vexing problem of Russia’s involvement in Ukraine.
The president headed home on Monday with pledges from European leaders to reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases. And Mr. Obama said the leaders he met with were united in their efforts to expand free trade.
But the agenda here at a sprawling resort in the shadow of the Bavarian Alps was dominated by security issues.
At a news conference Monday after the close of the summit, Mr. Obama acknowledged a need to accelerate the training of Iraqi military forces to counter the advance of Islamic State militants, and he said that he had asked the Pentagon for a plan to do that.
“We don’t have, yet, a complete strategy, because it requires commitments on the part of Iraqis as well,” Mr. Obama said. “The details are not worked out.”
Mr. Obama said of the militants of the Islamic State, also known as ISIL and ISIS: “They’re nimble and they’re aggressive and they’re opportunistic.”Mr. Obama said of the militants of the Islamic State, also known as ISIL and ISIS: “They’re nimble and they’re aggressive and they’re opportunistic.”
He said that it was important to more quickly train Iraqi forces to better fight the Sunni militants. But he acknowledged that the training “has not been happening as fast as it needs to.” And he said the United States has “made some progress, but not enough” in stemming the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq and Syria. He acknowledged that the training of Iraqi forces “has not been happening as fast as it needs to.” And he said the United States has “made some progress, but not enough” in stemming the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq and Syria.
Mr. Obama said that “thousands” of new fighters were replenishing the ranks of ISIS faster than the coalition could remove them from the fight. Mr. Obama said that “thousands” of new fighters were replenishing the ranks of the Islamic State faster than the coalition could remove them from the fight.
“If we can cut off some of that foreign fighter flow, then we are able to isolate and wear out ISIL forces that are already there,” Mr. Obama said. “Because we are taking a lot of them off the battlefield, but if they’re being replenished, then it doesn’t solve the problem over the long term.”“If we can cut off some of that foreign fighter flow, then we are able to isolate and wear out ISIL forces that are already there,” Mr. Obama said. “Because we are taking a lot of them off the battlefield, but if they’re being replenished, then it doesn’t solve the problem over the long term.”
The president said that Turkey was not doing what was required to monitor its border with Syria and halt the stream of fighters. The president also said that Turkey was not doing what was required to monitor its border with Syria and halt the stream of fighters.
Earlier Monday, Mr. Obama met with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq, where he reaffirmed the world powers’ commitment to supporting Iraq in the fight against the Islamic State, which has made major gains in recent weeks.Earlier Monday, Mr. Obama met with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq, where he reaffirmed the world powers’ commitment to supporting Iraq in the fight against the Islamic State, which has made major gains in recent weeks.
“Although it is going to take time, and there will be setbacks and lessons learned, we are going to be successful,” Mr. Obama said at the start of a meeting with Mr. Abadi. “ISIL is going to be driven out of Iraq, and ultimately, it is going to be defeated.” “Although it is going to take time, and there will be setbacks and lessons learned, we are going to be successful,” Mr. Obama said at the start of his meeting with Mr. Abadi. “ISIL is going to be driven out of Iraq, and ultimately, it is going to be defeated.”
The meetings here at a castle in the Bavarian Alps were dominated by discussion of how to address Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine. The campaign to defeat the Islamic State has been part of the crowded agenda. The campaign to defeat the Islamic State has been part of the crowded agenda at the meeting here. Discussions were dominated by the question of how to address Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine.
The president used the gathering of leaders of the major industrialized countries to prod his European counterparts, who are facing calls at home to pull back their economic sanctions on Moscow, to keep the penalties in place to maintain pressure on Russia to halt its moves in Ukraine. Mr. Obama has tried to hold together a European sanctions program in the face of increasing pressure from President Vladimir V. Putin. As he departed, Mr. Obama said he expected that European leaders would renew sanctions next month and indicated that those measures could be expanded if Mr. Putin did not relent.
At a news conference after the two days of meetings, Mr. Obama indicated that it was possible to expand the existing sanctions if President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia fails to fulfill a cease-fire agreement negotiated last year in Minsk, Belarus. “He’s got to make a decision — does he continue to wreck his nation’s economy and continue Russia’s isolation in pursuit of a wrongheaded desire to recreate the glories of the Soviet empire?” Mr. Obama said at a news conference after the two-day meeting. “Or does he recognize that Russia’s greatness does not depend on violating the territorial integrity” of its neighbors.
He said there has been “discussion about additional steps that we might need to take if Russia, working through separatists, doubled down on aggression inside of Ukraine.” The consensus at the end of the summit meeting was a boost for Mr. Obama, who needs European allies to maintain sanctions that keep Russia isolated and on the defensive. But that prospect seems increasingly unlikely, as violence mounts and Moscow appears to have weathered the economic onslaught of American and European sanctions.
Mr. Obama said that his European counterparts have made it clear that “if necessary we stand ready to impose additional significant sanctions against Russia.” And he bluntly challenged Mr. Putin to back down in Ukraine or risk dire consequences to Russia’s economy. The European Union is scheduled to vote later this month on whether to extend the sanctions, and some of the leaders here are facing calls at home to pull back their economic sanctions on Moscow. The language used by the leaders in their joint communiqué was an important marker, indicating that they are willing to maintain sanctions even in the face of domestic criticism.
“He’s got to make a decision — does he continue to wreck his nation’s economy and continue Russia’s isolation in pursuit of a wrongheaded desire to recreate the glories of the Soviet empire?” Mr. Obama said. “Or does he recognize that Russia’s greatness does not depend on violating the territorial integrity” of its neighbors.
The consensus at the end of the two-day gathering was a boost for Mr. Obama, who needs European allies to maintain sanctions that keep Russia isolated and on the defensive. But that prospect seems increasingly unlikely, as violence mounts and Moscow appears to have weathered the economic onslaught of American and European sanctions.
Still, the European Union is scheduled to vote later this month on whether to extend the sanctions, and the language used by the leaders was an important marker, indicating that they are willing to maintain sanctions even in the face of domestic criticism.
In his first meeting with Mr. Abadi since Islamic State fighters took control of the Iraqi city of Ramadi, Mr. Obama called the prime minister a reliable partner, and praised his “refreshing honesty” in acknowledging the challenges of confronting the militant group.In his first meeting with Mr. Abadi since Islamic State fighters took control of the Iraqi city of Ramadi, Mr. Obama called the prime minister a reliable partner, and praised his “refreshing honesty” in acknowledging the challenges of confronting the militant group.
The president said he believed the militants’ takeover of the capital of Anbar Province was “a short-term tactical success,” and said his administration was working to determine how to get more weapons into the hands of Iraqi forces who are prepared to fight the Islamic State on a timely basis.The president said he believed the militants’ takeover of the capital of Anbar Province was “a short-term tactical success,” and said his administration was working to determine how to get more weapons into the hands of Iraqi forces who are prepared to fight the Islamic State on a timely basis.
With the Sunni militants racking up gains in Iraq and Syria, G-7 leaders used the meeting as a chance to restate their commitment to the American-led coalition seeking to help stop the group. But Mr. Abadi has said that the assistance is not enough. On Monday, he said he needed help assembling a “global intelligence-sharing effort” to try to thwart the Islamic State’s recruitment efforts, saying the scores of foreign fighters streaming into Iraq and Syria to carry out suicide bombings and other attacks were an increasingly grave threat.With the Sunni militants racking up gains in Iraq and Syria, G-7 leaders used the meeting as a chance to restate their commitment to the American-led coalition seeking to help stop the group. But Mr. Abadi has said that the assistance is not enough. On Monday, he said he needed help assembling a “global intelligence-sharing effort” to try to thwart the Islamic State’s recruitment efforts, saying the scores of foreign fighters streaming into Iraq and Syria to carry out suicide bombings and other attacks were an increasingly grave threat.
“This will require the effort and the mobilization of the international community,” Mr. Abadi said.“This will require the effort and the mobilization of the international community,” Mr. Abadi said.
While much of the gathering focused on the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, the meeting was also an opportunity for Mr. Obama to discuss issues he has made central to his legacy. Though much of the gathering focused on the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, it was also an opportunity for Mr. Obama to discuss issues he has made central to his legacy.
On climate change, the G-7 leaders agreed on Monday to work toward a long-term goal of reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases between 40 and 70 percent by 2050, signaling that they are united in support of a significant climate change accord in Paris in December.On climate change, the G-7 leaders agreed on Monday to work toward a long-term goal of reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases between 40 and 70 percent by 2050, signaling that they are united in support of a significant climate change accord in Paris in December.
The leaders endorsed the objective that a United Nations climate change panel said last year must be reached in order to avoid damaging and dangerous increases in the Earth’s temperature, and said that they would work for reductions at the higher end of the target range.The leaders endorsed the objective that a United Nations climate change panel said last year must be reached in order to avoid damaging and dangerous increases in the Earth’s temperature, and said that they would work for reductions at the higher end of the target range.
“Urgent and concrete action is needed to address climate change,” the leaders said in their statement, expressing support for adopting an “ambitious, robust” climate deal in Paris later this year.“Urgent and concrete action is needed to address climate change,” the leaders said in their statement, expressing support for adopting an “ambitious, robust” climate deal in Paris later this year.