US may end up sending more troops to Iraq, Dempsey’s remarks suggest

The United States seems set for an increase in the number of American boots on the ground in Iraq where Takfiri militancy yet rages on despite airstrikes by a US-led coalition.

On Tuesday, General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke of “potential enhancements” to the US mission in Iraq purportedly to train Iraqi forces.

Dempsey made the remarks at a ceremony in the Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv, where he met with Israel’s Lieutenant general Gadi Eisenkot.

"We’ve made some recommendations on potential enhancements to the training and equip mission," Dempsey said.

His remarks followed those of Obama’s about lack of a "complete strategy" towards ISIL’s presence in the crisis-hit country.

Dempsey said an increase in the number of US troops in Iraq was yet "to be determined", however, reports said expansion of the training could mean sending more US troops to Iraq.

He further noted that the US president has asked the military to “take a look at what we’ve learned over the last eight months in the train-and-equip program and make recommendations to him on whether there are capabilities that we may want to provide to the Iraqis to actually make them more capable.”

Washington has already dispatched more than 3,000 troops to Iraq to help train and advise Iraqi forces in their fight against the terrorists.

Moreover, the US military has been leading a coalition to conduct airstrikes allegedly aimed at ISIL militants in Iraq and neighboring Syria since last year, despite which the Takfiris have gained ground in some of the regions.

NT/NT

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