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Sec. Hagel Announces 1,600 Americans Will Deploy to Fight ISIL
Posted By Washington Free Beacon Staff On September 16, 2014 @ 11:00 am In National Security | No Comments
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced 1,600 American personnel will deploy to Iraq as part of the Obama administration’s counterterrorism plan to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS).
“The president of the United States has the constitutional and the statutory authority to use military force against ISIL in Syria as well as Iraq,” Hagel said. “[Our] strategy is to increase support for those fighting ISIL on the ground.”
Hagel underscored direct combat against ISIL will be conducted by a coalition of Iraqi, Kurdish, and Syrian fighters. He noted Obama’s commitment to providing a range of military, law enforcement, and intelligence support to these local fighters.
U.S. personnel deployed will include U.S. troops and advisers to assess Iraqi forces and “support intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.”
Several members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, including Sens. John McCain (R., Ariz.) and Bill Nelson (D., Fla.), questioned the United States’ ability to carry out the proposed plan.
A congressional vote to approve the $500 million counterterrorism plan is expected at the end of this week.
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