US likely to increase military deployment in Iraq and Syria to fight ISIS
Top U.S. national security advisers have advised the Obama administration to move Special Forces and attack helicopters closer to the front lines in Iraq and Syria in its fight against the Islamic state of Iraq and Syria.
The recommendation came after ISIS took control of the Iraqi city of Ramadi, as well as the withdrawal of the U.S. military program to train and arm thousands of Syrian rebels.
According to Reuters, two U.S. officials who spoke anonymously said any steps taken in both countries would be tailored to specific, limited military objectives. This extends to the deployment of U.S. special operations forces in Syria to advise moderate Syrian opposition fighters and send small helicopters.
Defence Secretary Ashton Carter has pushed the U.S. military to adopt new strategies to tackle the growing menace of ISIS and show greater involvement in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, reported the Washington Post. "We won't hold back from supporting capable partners in opportunistic attacks against ISIL or conducting such missions directly, whether by strikes from the air or direct action on the ground," Carter said, using the acronym for the militant group.
President Barack Obama will have the last say even as officials gear up for greater military involvement, the two U.S. officials said. Once the decision is made, however, it cannot be altered and will represent a significant escalation of America's role in Iraq and Syria.
Although the anonymous officials couldn’t confirm the number of additional troops that were ready to be deployed, they said numbers would remain relatively small. The Pentagon and White House have so far declined to comment on the recommendations.
However, senior members have also cautioned the White House of a possible conflict with the Syrian regime and the Russian and Iranian forces backing it if it decides to undertake measures of additional deployment.
Marine Corp General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has responded, saying that recommendations involving more military forces in Syria and Iraq would be considered if it would help defeat Islamic State militants.
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