War on Terror News

"Obama to Send 1,500 More Troops to Assist Iraq"
By: Helene Cooper and Michael D. Shear
Source: New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/08/world/middleeast/us-to-send-1500-more-troops-to-iraq.html

                  As the Islamic State group continues to terrorize Iraq and Syria, President Obama has authorized the deployment of 1,500 troops to Iraq bringing the total number of U.S. personnel in the area to 3,000. These troops are meant to train and advise Iraqi and Kurdish troops in order to combat the extremist Muslim terrorist group. U.S. personnel are trying to prepare for an offensive attack planned in Spring 2015. Training sites are to be established throughout the nation of Iraq, including the Anbar region. The White House is to request $5 billion dollars from Congress in order to train and equip troops and militants. The efforts on part of the United States are meant to retake regions of Iraq controlled by ISIL including retaking the city of Mosul, which is home to over a million people. President Obama is assuring that the 1,500 troops are not going to be engaging in combat. It is believed that the announcement of the deployment was made three days after the mid-term elections in an effort to avoid tarnishing the Democratic name, and to avoid further angering the American people prior to elections.

                Many Americans are upset that our troops are being sent back to Iraq, despite the President's promise to retract our troops from the Middle East. The Islamic State group is no longer negligible, but is now a threat to the United States and its allies. American troops will be providing a service by training the ill equipped Iraqi and Kurdish troops and assist in retaking Iraq from ISIL.