will help but Iraq must mend divisions: Obama

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US President Barack Obama said Friday that he is examining options short of sending ground troops to help Iraq counter a Sunni extremist offensive, but warned the country must heal its own divisions.

“We will not be sending US troops back into combat in Iraq, but I have asked my national security team to prepare a range of other options that could help support Iraqi security forces,” Obama said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s government has asked the United States to provide military assistance to counter a stunning advance by ISIL, a Sunni extremist movement.

But, in brief remarks to reporters at the White House, Obama warned the Baghdad government that it had brought disaster on itself by failing to heal the divides between Sunni and Shia camps in the country.

“The United States will not involve itself in military action in the absence of a political plan by the Iraqis that gives us some assurance that they’re prepared to work together,” he said.

“We won’t allow ourselves to be dragged back into a situation in which while we’re there we’re keeping a lid on things and, after enormous sacrifices by us, as soon as we’re not there, suddenly people end up acting in ways that are not conducive to the long-term stability of the country.“

The United States withdrew the last of its occupation forces from Iraq in 2011, eight years after they overthrew the then dictator Saddam Hussein, but Obama said he was studying options to increase ongoing support for the Iraqi military.

He added, however, that “any action that we may take to provide assistance to Iraqi security forces has to be joined by a serious and sincere effort by Iraq’s leaders to set aside sectarian differences.

“Nobody has an interest in seeing terrorists gain a foothold inside of Iraq and nobody is going to benefit from seeing Iraq descend into chaos,” he said.

“So the United States will do our part, but understand that ultimately it’s up to the Iraqis as a sovereign nation to solve their problems.“

3 COMMENTS

  1. So Americas speech basically is ‘ first well invade and break the country in pieces, then well steal rob rape the country, then well leave once were bored, then when your fighting and killing each other in the remains of AMERICAN created havoc – well come and save the day and look like heroes ‘. Lol does America really think were that stupid. Or are they just soo arrogant in their might and power that they don’t really care what we think.

  2. America – teaching Iraqis democracy. Let’s just look at Americas history for the last 200 yrs. how they systematically and brutally wiped out the native red Indians. Their own civil wars which still shows – south and North America are like two different cultures. How can a country who has wiped off the face of the earth the indigenous people of America ( red Indians ) and then they have a yearly event to celebrate their brutality with Turkey lol

  3. Thanksgiving day – they celebrate the day America was finally won from the red Indians. How can America teach democracy. They themselves are the biggest dictators and oppressors in the history of all mankind.

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