Obama approves sending up to 450 more US troops to Iraq

The White House announced Wednesday that President Obama has approved sending up to 450 additional U.S. troops to Iraq, in a bid to boost local forces fighting the Islamic State’s advances.

 

The troops will be sent to help train, advise and assist Iraqi security forces, at a base in eastern Anbar province.

 

“The President made this decision after a request from Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi and upon the recommendation” of top U.S. military officials, the White House said in a statement.

 

The decision comes after recent ISIS gains, most significantly the takeover of the Anbar capital of Ramadi. Obama came under criticism earlier this week for saying his administration still did not have a “complete” strategy for ramping up training of Iraqi troops.

 

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