The
following excerpts are from AINA.org:
The
U.S. has told Iraq's leaders they must choose between ongoing
American support in the battle against militants of the Islamic State
of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and asking the Russians to intervene
instead.
Marine
Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said
Tuesday that the Iraqis had promised they would not request any
Russian airstrikes or support for the fight against ISIS.
Shortly
after leaving Baghdad, Dunford told reporters traveling with him that
he had laid out a choice when he met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider
al-Abadi and Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi earlier Tuesday.
"I
said it would make it very difficult for us to be able to provide the
kind of support you need if the Russians were here conducting
operations as well," Dunford said. "We can't conduct
operations if the Russians were operating in Iraq right now."
He
said there was "angst" in the U.S. when reports surfaced
that al-Abadi had said he would welcome Russian airstrikes in Iraq.
The U.S., Dunford said, "can't have a relationship right now
with Russia in the context of Iraq."
The
ultimatum to Iraq comes as the U.S. grapples with Russia's
dramatically increased role in the war in Syria, just to the west of
Iraq.
In
Syria, President Vladimir Putin has essentially rescued his close
ally, President Bashar Assad, from opposition forces that had been
inching closer to his seat of power prior to the beginning of Russian
airstrikes at the end of September.
Russia's
intervention was not telegraphed beforehand to the U.S., and while
Moscow first insisted its primary target was ISIS in Syria, it became
apparent immediately that the Russian planes were targeting other
opposition groups more in a clear effort to shore up Assad's
beleaguered forces.
The
choice given to Abadi in Iraq by Dunford on Tuesday is a clear
indication that the U.S. is not willing to compete with Russia for
airspace over two neighboring countries deeply intertwined in the
same convoluted war.
The
U.S. and Russia put into practice new rules on Tuesday designed to
minimize the risk of air collisions between military aircraft over
Syria.
Reuters
reports that the U.S. ultimatum to Iraq puts Abadi in a difficult
position, as his own country's ruling political alliance and some
powerful Shiite groups have been pushing him to request Russian air
support.
The
news agency said a proposal to request Russian strikes had been put
to Abadi last week, but that he was yet to respond.
Read
more by clicking below:
U.S. to Iraq: If Russia Helps You Fight ISIS, We Can't
