Carter’s remarks at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday were the latest sign of USA preparations to intensify its military involvement in the battle against the group, which controls wide swathes of Iraq and Syria and has orchestrated and inspired attacks overseas.
Advertisement
Iraqi Maj Gen. Ismail al-Mahlawi, head of military operations in Anbar province, said Thursday there are approximately 300 Islamic State fighters trapped in the center of Ramadi, which lies on the Euphrates River.
“The global community – including our allies and partners – has to step up before another attack like Paris”, Carter said.
“I am certain it will fall, and we will assist in the making of it fall”, he said.
He acknowledged that IS “would love nothing more than a large presence of US forces on the ground in Iraq and Syria, so that they could have a call to jihad”.
According to the Guardian, Colonel Steve Warren, spokesman for the United States army command in Baghdad, informed reporters on the Pentagon that round 600 to 1,000 ISIS fighters had been inside Ramadi.
In the past week, he said, he’s reached out to 40 countries in the coalition to ask for contributions such as special operations forces, strike and reconnaissance aircraft, weapons and munitions and training assistance.
“While we certainly have the capability to furnish a USA component to such a ground force, we have not recommended this course of action”, he said.
“We could well turn those fighting ISIL or inclined to resist their rule into fighting us instead”, Carter warned, stressing that long-term, local forces would still have to secure and govern the territory.
But even with little IS resistance in terms of numbers, Haimour said clearing territory once it’s been taken back will likely be time-consuming. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said, comparing it to not having intervened to prevent genocide in Rwanda during the 1990s.
“The US advisers would be prepared to provide advice to Iraqi security forces”. The administration is relying on authorizations for using US military force that were approved after 9/11.
The Anbar Operations Command complex and Taamim neighborhood retaken by counter-terrorism forces are strategically significant because they overlook other parts of Ramadi which are still under the militants’ control.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, sought to drum up support for a new authorization that would not place limits on where, how long or in what ways the US could fight IS.
“Some (militants) are going to stay and fight to the end”.
Advertisement
While Iraqi forces were consolidating their gains, Warren, the coalition spokesman, said they also successfully repelled a number of IS counter-attacks Thursday with “significant” coalition air support.
