Loveday Morris, writing in the Washington Post about developments in Iraq’s Anbar Provence:
Iraqi officials described the pullback from near Hit — a town in Anbar province about 115 miles west of Baghdad — as a “tactical retreat” and said the army hauled away equipment and burned food supplies to deny the Islamic State provisions and firepower. The withdrawal came just hours after the U.S. Central Command said coalition forces had conducted airstrikes in the area.
In related developments (as they say), the AP is reporting that:
The top U.S. military officer says the U.S. called in Apache helicopters to prevent Iraqi forces from being overrun by Islamic State militants in a recent fight near Baghdad’s airport. Gen. Martin Dempsey says the extremists were within about 15 miles and had they overrun the Iraqis, “it was a straight shot to the airport.”
Meanwhile, in Washington:
President Barack Obama and his military commanders will meet Tuesday with defense chiefs from more than 20 nations participating in the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. The daylong meeting comes as the White House tries to tout progress in the U.S.-led campaign against the militants, while also girding the public for a military effort that could extend well beyond Obama’s presidency. Administration officials said the meeting would focus on military strategy and ways to bolster the campaign to counter the extremists.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the meeting would be an important effort to further coordinate and organize the international fight against the Islamic State militants.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the meeting would be an important effort to further coordinate and organize the international fight against the Islamic State militants.
They may be running out of time.
