The US Is Preparing to Ramp Up Its Ground War in Syria

USA special operation forces in October conducted a raid on a Daesh prison in Iraq to free 70 hostages, including Iraqi forces.

“The Prime Minister has called for an increase in weapons, training, and support from worldwide partners, while reiterating that there is no need for foreign ground combat troops”, al-Abadi said in a statement.

“The Iraqi government stresses that any military operation or presence of any foreign force, special or not, in any place in Iraq can not be done without its approval and co-ordination with it”, the statement said.

Carter, however, talked about operating with fill coordination with the Iraqi government.

Citing security concerns, Carter was evasive when asked how many additional special forces troops would go to Iraq, but said it would be a “larger number” than the 50 in Syria.

Kerry was answering a question about comments by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi saying that no foreign forces would be allowed to deploy without Baghdad’s OK.

While the U.S. defence secretary did not reveal much about the special force to be deployed in Iraq, DOD officials have told NBC News that they will be permanently based in the Middle Eastern country. US troops turned her over to the Iraqis. “So actual forces who will do offensive or kinetic operations, it’s a very small number, double digit”. And it puts everybody on notice in Syria.

Those armed groups, long mistrustful of American forces since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein and the subsequent occupation, denounced the planned deployment. The force’s operations in Syria would be separate from the scheduled deployment of up to 50 special operations forces that will soon be deployed to northeastern Syria.

Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford were summoned before the committee to answer lawmakers’ concerns that the Obama administration’s approach to fighting the Islamic State is not robust enough.

“American special operators bring a unique suite of capabilities that make them force multipliers”. Those forces are still preparing to begin operations, but USA officials said the time was right to take the next step.

“Because that’s a lot of times who’s either directing the cross-border operations or who’s physically going across the borders”, Warren said, adding that the raids will “contribute to strengthening that border, reducing that porousness” of ISIS leaders.

Calling the recent bloody terror attack on Paris an “assault on the civilization we defend”, Carter vowed ISIS would be destroyed. A Gallup survey said 47 percent of Americans favored sending more ground troops to Iraq and Syria and 46 percent were opposed.