Foreign Affairs

bemildred

(90,061 posts) Wed Jun 17, 2015, 03:17 PM Jun 2015

Carter: Not enough Iraqi or Syrian recruits to train for ISIL fight

Iraq is providing too few recruits for the U.S. training program in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, while the U.S. is also having trouble recruiting enough “moderate” Syrians to join the opposition force that President Barack Obama eventually wants to deploy across the border, Defense Secretary Ash Carter warned Congress on Wednesday.

In Iraq, the U.S. has only been able to train about 7,000 soldiers and 2,000 counter terrorism forces out of 24,000 that it planned, Carter told the House Armed Services Committee. Even some of Iraq’s military units supposedly ready for battle lack personnel and are manned by “ghost soldiers,” he said.

Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey repeated their view that Baghdad bears the main responsibility for the state of the campaign.

“As I’ve told Iraqi leaders, while the United States is open to supporting Iraq more than we already do, we must see a greater commitment from all parts of the Iraqi government,” Carter testified.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/ash-carter-iraqi-syrian-recruits-fight-isil-119109.html

3 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Carter: Not enough Iraqi or Syrian recruits to train for ISIL fight (Original Post) bemildred Jun 2015 OP

There are maybe 5 moderate Syrian rebels: 3 farmers, an accountant, and a guy who now sells cars leveymg Jun 2015 #1

U.S. urges 'greater commitment' to war effort from Baghdad Eugene Jun 2015 #2

Pay more than Saudi Arabia and Qatar and you don't even have to fight..../nt jakeXT Jun 2015 #3

leveymg

(36,418 posts)

1. There are maybe 5 moderate Syrian rebels: 3 farmers, an accountant, and a guy who now sells cars

Reply to bemildred (Original post)

Wed Jun 17, 2015, 03:43 PM

Jun 2015

in Van Nuys.

The idea is a fiction. The only real counter-ISIS force in that country is the Syrian Army. But, we aren't really against ISIS there. Mr. Carter and others calling the shots just want them all to continue bleeding and blowing up what's left of the country so it poses no threat to Israel when the big move is made on Iran.

Eugene

(61,896 posts)

2. U.S. urges 'greater commitment' to war effort from Baghdad

Reply to bemildred (Original post)

Wed Jun 17, 2015, 05:55 PM

Jun 2015

Source: Reuters

World | Wed Jun 17, 2015 1:53pm EDT

U.S. urges 'greater commitment' to war effort from Baghdad

WASHINGTON | BY PHIL STEWART AND DAVID ALEXANDER

The United States called for a "greater commitment" from Iraq's government on Wednesday in the fight against Islamic State as it lamented Baghdad's failure to deliver enough soldiers for training and underscored the need to empower Sunni tribesmen.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

"While the United States is open to supporting Iraq more than we already are, we must see a greater commitment from all parts of the Iraqi government."

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

General Martin Dempsey, the top U.S. military officer, said he would not recommend regularly deploying small numbers of American ground forces on the front lines, simply to stiffen the spines of the Iraqis, as some of Obama's critics have suggested.

"If their spine is not stiffened by the threat of ISIL and their way of life, nothing we do will stiffen their spine," Dempsey said, without ruling out short-term deployments to bolster a specific campaign, say to retake a major city.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

jakeXT

(10,575 posts)

3. Pay more than Saudi Arabia and Qatar and you don't even have to fight..../nt

Reply to bemildred (Original post)

Thu Jun 18, 2015, 04:18 AM

Jun 2015

Reply to this discussion