U.S. trainers have begun “train-the-trainer” outreach to Sunni tribal leaders as part of U.S. plans to hasten Iraq’s ability to beat back the Islamic State in the Anbar province.
Marine Brig. Gen. Thomas Weidley, chief of staff of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, said U.S. forces are on the ground at Taqaddum air base “establishing a node” to conduct outreach and train Sunni tribal leaders also located there.
The program at Taqaddum was announced by President Obama last week and includes the deployment of 450 additional U.S. forces. The program is under intense pressure in Washington as both lawmakers and senior Department of Defense officials have expressed displeasure with Iraq’s slow progress in rebuilding a multi-sectarian Iraqi army.
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During testimony on Capitol Hill this week, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said he expects tangible progress from the new outreach efforts at Taqaddum in “weeks.”
Weidley said U.S. forces at Taqaddum will train tribal leaders “and then the tribal trainers will conduct training with their individual forces. Those subject-matter exchanges have already commenced at Taqaddum.”
An estimated 450 U.S. forces are expected at Taqaddum. For operational security the Pentagon would not say how many had arrived or were en route.
