Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi told US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Tuesday that his army is taking the offensive against the ISIS group but needs more air power and heavy weaponry to prevail.
| Might have helped if your predecessor hadn't jerked us around so much... |
Hagel, who flew to Baghdad to get a first-hand report on progress against the ISIS militants, held a series of meetings with top Iraqi government officials and conferred with American military commanders. He met with Al Abadi at the prime minister's office after addressing a group of US and Australian soldiers at Baghdad International Airport.
Al Abadi told Hagel as their meeting began that "Daesh (ISIS) is on the descent at the moment." He said their capabilities had been reduced.
"We are very thankful for the support that's been given to us," Al Abadi said. "Our forces are very much advancing on the ground. But they need more air power and more ... heavy weaponry. We need that."
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US officials assert that the Iraqis’ biggest need is competent military leadership, not additional military hardware.
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The prime minister said the ISIS had acquired extensive weaponry
| ...from the last round of aid we sent the Iraqi army... |
and remained able to move back and forth between Iraq and Syria. That contrasts with statements by US commanders who say the militants’ ability to resupply their fighters in Iraq has been severely constrained by airstrikes.
In remarks to reporters later, Hagel said Iraqi forces are preparing for broader counteroffensives. Hagel said he was leaving Iraq encouraged by progress on the battlefield against the militants and by the Iraqi government’s renewed efforts to unify the country.
"As Iraqi leaders and the people of Iraq know, only they can bring lasting peace to their country if they are resolved to do that," he said.
He also said months of attacks on the ISIS militants have been effective.
"These efforts are thwarting ISIS's ability to maneuver, communicate, coordinate and control their forces, as well as their ability to sustain and resupply themselves," Hagel said. "Iraqi forces will be able to intensify offensive operations as the coalition's training effort expands into northern, western and central Iraq."
Hagel said on Monday during a visit to Kuwait that he believes Iraq's security forces have gained a new momentum, thanks in part to sustained US airstrikes against ISIS militants. During his stop in Kuwait, Hagel said the ISIS group remains a formidable threat, not only to Iraq but also to neighbouring Iran and other countries in the region. He repeated the US government's policy of not coordinating military action in Iraq with Iran, but he also suggested that Iran has reason to be concerned about the long-term ambitions of the ISIS. |