U.S. weighs greater role for Iraqis in joint military operations
The Obama administration is considering training Iraqis to handle ground control for airstrikes, a move that would significantly expand their role in the fight against the militant group Islamic State, a senior administration official said Thursday. The administration has been reluctant to put U.S. special forces at risk by deploying them on the ground in Iraq […]Paul Richter reports for the Los Angeles Times:
The Obama administration is considering training Iraqis to handle ground control for airstrikes, a move that would significantly expand their role in the fight against the militant group Islamic State, a senior administration official said Thursday. The administration has been reluctant to put U.S. special forces at risk by deploying them on the ground in Iraq to call in strikes against targets associated with Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. At the same time, officials have been reluctant to rely on the Iraqis for a job that requires lengthy training. But the absence of what the military calls joint terminal attack controllers has lengthened the time it takes to direct airstrikes, raising the risks for Iraqi forces on the ground.
