White House defends sending more troops to Iraq

A top White House spokesman said Monday that President Obama approved sending 560 more troops to Iraq solely for logistical purposes in order to help Iraqi security forces drive the Islamic State out of Mosul.

“The decision represents a following up on the successful efforts of Iraqi forces to continue to make progress against ISIL,” presidential press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. “The idea is these new U.S. forces will be used to secure the airfield and get it up a running as a logistics hub.”