The U.S. previously had insisted on only selling arms to the Iraqi government. The officials wouldn't say which U.S. agency is providing the arms or what weapons are being sent, but one official said it isn't the Pentagon. The CIA has historically done similar arming operations.
Officials say the administration is close to approving plans for the Pentagon to arm the Kurds. Recently the U.S. military has been helping facilitate weapons deliveries from the Iraqis to the Kurds, who had been losing ground to the Islamic State.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the operation publicly.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/us-sending-arms-to-kurds-in-iraq.aspx?pageID=238&nID=70253&NewsCatID=359
11/8/14
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- Obama Administration Sending Weapons To Kurdish Forces In Iraq, Officials Say...
SYDNEY (AP) — The Obama administration has begun directly providing weapons to Kurdish forces who have started to make gains against Islamic militants in northern Iraq, senior U.S. officials said Monday.
Previously, the U.S. had insisted on only selling arms to the Iraqi government in Baghdad, but the Kurdish peshmerga fighters had been losing ground to Islamic State militants in recent weeks.
The officials wouldn't say which U.S. agency is providing the arms or what weapons are being sent, but one official said it isn't the Pentagon. The CIA has historically done similar quiet arming operations.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the operation publicly.
The move to directly aid the Kurds underscores the level of U.S. concern about the Islamic State militants' gains in the north, and reflects the persistent administration view that the Iraqis must take the necessary steps to solve their own security problems.
A senior State Department official would only say that the Kurds are "getting arms from various sources. They are being rearmed."
To bolster that effort, the administration is also very close to approving plans for the Pentagon to arm the Kurds, a senior official said. In recent days, the U.S. military has been helping facilitate weapons deliveries from the Iraqis to the Kurds, providing logistic assistance and transportation to the north.
The additional assistance comes as Kurdish forces on Sunday took back two towns from the Islamic insurgents, aided in part by U.S. airstrikes in the region. President Barack Obama authorized the airstrikes to protect U.S. interests and personnel in the region, including at facilities in Irbil, as well as Yazidi refugees fleeing militants.
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, speaking to reporters here, said the airstrikes "have been very effective from all the reports that we've received on the ground." He declined to detail how or when the U.S. might expand its assistance to Iraq, or if military assessment teams currently in Baghdad would be moving to a more active role advising the Iraqi forces.
"We're going to continue to support the Iraqi security forces in every way that we can as they request assistance there," Hagel said during a press conference with Australian Defense Minister David Johnston.
At the same time, the administration is watching carefully as a political crisis brews in Baghdad, and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned Iraq's embattled prime minister Nouri al-Maliki to maintain calm among the upheaval.
"We believe that the government formation process is critical in terms of sustaining the stability and calm in Iraq," Kerry said. "And our hope is that Mr. Maliki will not stir those waters."........................http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/11/us-arms-kurds-iraq_n_5667284.html
11/8/14
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Irak-Kämpfe: USA beliefern Kurden mit Waffen ...
ReplyDeleteDie USA haben damit begonnen, die kurdischen Kämpfer im Nordirak mit Waffen und Munition zu beliefern. In Zusammenarbeit mit der Regierung in Bagdad würden den Kurden "sehr schnell dringend benötigte Waffen" geliefert, sagte US-Außenamtssprecherin Marie Harf am Montag dem Fernsehsender CNN.
"Die Iraker liefern Waffen aus ihren Vorräten, und wir machen das Gleiche, wir liefern Waffen aus unseren Vorräten", sagte Harf weiter. Zuvor war von mehreren Seiten gefordert worden, angesichts des Vormarsches der Jihadistengruppe Islamischer Staat (IS) die Kurden mit Waffen auszustatten.
US-Präsident Barack Obama hatte am Donnerstag gezielte Luftangriffe auf die vorrückenden Jihadisten im Nordirak angeordnet, mit denen sich die kurdischen Peschmerga-Kämpfer erbitterte Gefechte liefern. Die Luftangriffe dienen nach US-Angaben dem Schutz von US-Bürgern in Erbil sowie dem Schutz der vor den Jihadisten geflohenen Angehörigen der jesidischen Minderheit.
Keine Waffen aus Deutschland
Die deutsche Regierung hat Forderungen nach einer Aufrüstung von Iraks Kurden mit deutscher Hilfe hingegen zurückgewiesen. Die Regierung halte an dem Grundsatz fest, keine Waffen in Krisengebiete zu liefern, sagte Regierungssprecher Steffen Seibert am Montag.
Zuvor hatten die Abgeordneten Karl-Georg Wellmann (CDU) und Hans-Peter Uhl (CSU) gefordert, den Kampf der Kurden gegen die Gruppe Islamischer Staat (IS) mit Waffen zu unterstützen. SPD und Grüne lehnten Waffenlieferungen in den Irak ab....................http://diepresse.com/home/politik/aussenpolitik/3853250/IrakKaempfe_USA-beliefern-Kurden-mit-Waffen-?_vl_backlink=/home/politik/aussenpolitik/3848667/index.do&direct=3848667
UN chief urges Iraq political leaders to form new government ...
ReplyDelete10 August 2014 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on all Iraqi political parties to work towards the formation of a new government that would be able to confront the threat from the armed group, the Islamic State (IS).
In a late night statement yesterday from his spokesperson, Mr. Ban called on the political parties “to abide by the constitutional timeline that governs the nomination of the Prime Minister.”
He also called for “reason and wisdom to prevail” and urged all leaders in Iraq to form “a broad-based government that is acceptable to all components of Iraqi society.”
Such a government should be able to mobilize the nation to confront the threat from IS in a way that will bring security and stability to the whole country, Mr. Ban added.
Iraqi politicians on 15 July chose Salim al-Jubour as the new Speaker of the Council of Representatives, and Fuad Ma'soum as the new President on 24 July. Per the Iraqi Constitution, the political leaders have until the end of today to nominate a Prime Minister, who would then form a new Government.
In his statement, Mr. Ban noted that as the Organization and the international community are closely following the political developments in Iraq, he also remains “deeply concerned” about the evolving humanitarian and security situation in the country.
The situation remains particularly dire on Jebel Sinjar, or Sinjar Mountain, where an estimated 50,000 people, many of them women, children and the elderly, are believed to be trapped since ISIL displaced them from their homes one week ago.
Aid workers are particularly concerned about high temperatures in the northern area. Those can reach 50 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) at this time of year.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=48455
Defiant Maliki criticises decision to name new Iraqi PM...
ReplyDeleteIraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has said the nomination of a new prime minister was a "dangerous violation" of the country's constitution.
He has vowed to "fix the mistake" after Haidar al-Abadi was asked to form a new government by President Fuad Masum.
The controversy over the nomination comes as the army and security forces battle Islamic State militants for control of vast areas of the north of the country...................http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0811/636326-iraq/
Readout of the Vice President’s Call with Iraqi President Fuad Masum...
ReplyDeleteVice President Biden called Iraqi President Fuad Masum this morning to discuss the ongoing government formation process in Baghdad and to express the United States’ full support for his role as guarantor of the Iraqi Constitution. President Masum discussed with the Vice President the nomination of Hayder al-Abadi to be the next prime minister. The Vice President commended Masum for meeting this key milestone and reiterated President Obama’s repeated calls for the timely creation of a new, more inclusive government that will be able to address the legitimate concerns of all Iraqis. Vice President Biden also emphasized President Obama’s desire to boost coordination with a new Iraqi government and Iraqi Security Forces to roll back gains by the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant. President Masum thanked the Vice President for his continued support.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/11/readout-vice-president-s-call-iraqi-president-fuad-masum