Says inclusive Govt alone will bring stability
Welcoming the change of leadership in Iraq, with Haider al-Abadi being named the next Prime Minister in place of Nouri al-Maliki, US President Barack Obama has said that the formation of an Inclusive Government alone can bring stability and security to the strife-torn nation.
Obama, on vacation at Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, pledged full support to the new Government to be formed within 30 days, even as there was a big question mark on whether there would be a smooth change of guard with reports pointing to Maliki bracing for a political showdown.
The United States has for long been wanting Maliki’s replacement and Obama was quick to laud Iraqi President Fouad Massoum’s announcement as a “promising step forward”. Both he and Vice President Joe Biden called Abadi to assure him of their support.
“There is no American military solution to the larger crisis in Iraq. The only lasting solution is for Iraqis to come together and form an Inclusive Government — one that represents the legitimate interests of all Iraqis, and one that can unify the country’s fight against ISIl,” Obama said.
Speaking of “difficult days ahead”, Obama said the new Iraqi leadership has to “regain the confidence of its citizens by governing inclusively and by taking steps to demonstrate its resolve”, adding: “The United States stands ready to support a Government that addresses the needs and grievances of all Iraqi people.”
The Obama administration has meanwhile begun supplying weapons directly to the Kurdish forces battling Islamic State militants in northern Iraq, even as US fighter planes continued their airstrikes against the militants and airdrop of humanitarian aid for the several thousand Yazidis and other religious minorities trapped on Mount Sinjar.
On arming the Kurds, he said: “We are looking at plans at how we can expand that support.”
“This advances the limited military objectives we’ve outlined in Iraq: protecting American citizens, providing advice and assistance to Iraqi forces as they battle these terrorists, and joining with international partners to provide humanitarian aid,” Obama said.
lt Gen William Mayville, Director of Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters in Washington that the 15 targeted strikes have slowed the Islamic State’s advance but have not done much as yet to degrade the group’s capacity as a fighting force.
“In the immediate areas where we’ve focused our strikes we’ve had a very temporary effect,” Mayville said, adding he would not want to suggest that the group has been effectively contained or its momentum halted. On arming the Kurds, he said: “We are looking at plans at how we can expand that support.”