(MENAFN- The Peninsula) US President Barack Obama will consider sending US military advisers into combat in Iraq on a "case by case basis," General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told senators yesterday.
He said future battles in Iraq could require American troops to join combat missions with Baghdad government forces to help direct American warplanes.
Dempsey indicated he had discussed the possibility with the US president, who has so far emphatically ruled out sending any ground troops into combat. "He (Obama) told me to come back to him on a case by case basis," the four-star general said.
General Lloyd Austin, head of US Central Command, which oversees the air war in Iraq and American forces in the Middle East, agreed with Dempsey on the potential need for US tactical air controllers to take part in combat missions, he said.
When Iraqi and Kurdish forces recently planned to retake Mosul dam from the Islamic State group, Austin favoured deploying forward air controllers into battle to ensure the accuracy of US air strikes, according to Dempsey.
Obama has approved the deployment of about 1,600 troops to Iraq to secure the US embassy and advise the Iraqi government army.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.