Obama approves 450 more troops for Iraq training mission

The White House says new deployment will be part of a train, advise, and assist mission for Iraqi government

WASHINGTON DC: US President Barack Obama on Wednesday approved the deployment of up to 450 more US military personnel to Iraq, in a bid to reverse gains by the Islamic State group.

The White House said that new deployment would be part of a "train, advise, and assist" mission for Iraqi government and tribal forces, which has already seen 3,000 US non-combat troops deployed.

The Department of Defence in a statement on Tuesday had said that President Obama had sought advice from his top defence aides Secretary Ash Carter and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Martin Dempsey, following a request from Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi.

Recent Islamic State victories in Ramadi in Iraq and Syria's Palmyra seem to have circumvented Obama's strategy of depending on airpower and an amalgam of disparate ground forces to "defeat and degrade" the Islamic State.

Amid the criticism, the White House also announced the "expedited delivery of essential equipment and materiel" for tribal and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters – in coordination with the central government in Baghdad.

Until now, Baghdad has funneled weapons and oversees the training to Sunni tribal fighters, seen as key to victory in Ramadi and the surrounding Anbar province.

The Obama administration is now looking at having American troops more directly involved in training those volunteers.

Iraq's Sunni Muslim community has yet to join the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State in large numbers.

Among Sunnis there is simmering distrust of the Shia-led government in Baghdad, a gap which IS fighters have sought to exploit.

The larger US deployment is expected to mean an increase in training sites from the four currently being used to at least five with force levels rising to up to 3,550 personnel.

Taken together, the measures would significantly scale up US activities in Iraq, but stop short of a strategy overhaul.

"This decision does not represent a change in mission, but rather adds another location for Department of Defense to conduct similar activities in more areas in Iraq. US forces continue to perform an advisory, training, and support role and are not conducting offensive ground combat operations," a statement read.

Obama's Republican political adversaries also responded to the aspect of the announcement.

"It's a step in the right direction, but as the president admitted the other day, he has no strategy to win. And this is another tactical move," said House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner.

"I support the tactical move the president is taking, but where's the overarching strategy?"

The US President also approved a comprehensive approach to aid the Iraqi government’s efforts to support the people and communities living in areas newly liberated from ISIL.

He also reaffirmed US support for the efforts of Prime Minister Al-Abadi and other Iraqi leaders to build an inclusive and effective governance structure within which all of Iraq’s diverse communities feel that they have a say in determining the future of their country.