Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Tuesday the United States will increase attacks on Islamic State jihadists in Syria and Iraq, with additional air strikes and even “direct action” on the ground.
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Dunford said Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi assured him last week that it would not invite Russian Federation to conduct an air campaign in Iraq.
Carter’s pledge to intensify strikes comes as the US-led coalition has been hitting fewer targets in Syria.
As officials gear up for a greater military involvement, President Barack Obama would have the last say, two USA officials said.
He singled out last week’s raid by U.S. special forces soldiers and Kurdish fighters in Hawijah, Iraq, in which the US Defence Department said 70 hostages facing execution were rescued from an IS prison.
The Iraqi government on Thursday said they do not need U.S troops on the ground in their country nor have they asked Washington for assistance of their soldiers in operations against the Islamic State group in their country, various news outlets reported.
Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the administration had “all too often made the problem worse” by trying to deal with symptoms rather than the sectarian divisions at the centre of the problem.
Carter described the change in strategy as “three Rs” – “Raqqa, Ramadi and Raids”. Stepped-up USA air strikes and logistical support are meant to help turn the tide.
The US earlier this month announced it was pausing its costly program to train and equip Syrian rebels that has resulted in limited gains, focusing instead on supplying military aid to opposition leaders.
Assad’s regime is supported by Russian Federation, and US officials have said that Moscow’s military intervention in Syria appears more focused on protecting Assad than stopping ISIS.
After the session, lawmakers said they felt there was momentum toward a diplomatic solution ahead of a global meeting on Syria later this week.
White House deputy press secretary Eric Schultz said Tuesday the administration has “no intention of long-term ground combat”, adding that USA forces will continue to robustly train, advise and assist. Carter later outlined the President’s strategy to step up military attacks against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Gen Joseph Dunford, the new chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said yesterday the U.S. would be “more aggressive” with air strikes aimed at destroying the oil enterprise operated by IS.
“If anyone thought that there our pilots dropping bombs both in Iraq and Syria for the previous year are not in harm’s way, they’re not paying attention”, he said.
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Government forces concentrated in Damascus and the centre and west of Syria are fighting the jihadists of Islamic State and al-Nusra Front, as well as less numerous so-called “moderate” rebel groups, who are strongest in the north and east. These groups are also battling each other.
