Baghdad, June 14 (RHC)-- U.S. President Barack Obama has ruled out sending American troops "back into combat" in Iraq to help fight the growing threat of al-Qaeda-inspired Tak-firi militants in that country.
On Friday at the White House, the U.S. president said he was considering all options, with the exception of U.S. boots on the ground. Unnamed U.S. officials on Friday said the White House is “urgently and expediently” considering military action to halt the rapid advance of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Extremist militants from ISIL have reportedly captured two provincial capitals this week, namely Tikrit in Sala-huddin Province and Iraq’s second city of Mosul in the northern province of Nin-eveh.
Over the past days, Iraqi armed forces have been engaged in fierce clashes with the terrorists, who have threatened to capture other Iraqi cities, including the capital, Baghdad. Obama confirmed that the troubles in Iraq were spilling over from Syria and "given the nature of these terrorists, it could eventually pose a threat to American interests as well."
The U.S. and its allies are supporting the foreign-backed militants operating inside Syria to overthrow the elected government of President Bashar al-Assad. And according to reports, Washington has recently started supplying the militants with weapons.
Related Articles
Commentaries
MAKE A COMMENT
All fields requiredMore Views
- Secretary General of UN Tourism arrives in Cuba
- Tigres de Ciego and Leñadores de Las Tunas for retaliation in the Baseball Series
- U.S. political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal turns 70, imprisoned for more than 42 years
- New Freedom Flotilla to set sail for Gaza in defiance of Israel's naval blockade
- Thousands march through the streets of Madrid to demand Spain stop arms sales to apartheid Israel