US will send 200 more troops to Iraq: Obama
Iran Press TV
Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:36PM GMT
The United States will send about 200 more American troops to Iraq to protect the US Embassy in the capital city of Baghdad, President Barack Obama announced.
In a letter to Congress on Monday, the president notified House and Senate leaders about the deployment amid the escalating crisis in the region.
The extra troops will bring to nearly 800 the total number of American forces in Iraq.
President Obama also said the additions include security forces, rotary-wing aircraft, and support for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the Associated Press reported.
'In light of the security situation in Baghdad, I have ordered up to approximately 200 additional US Armed Forces personnel to Iraq to reinforce security at the US Embassy, its support facilities, and the Baghdad International Airport,' Obama said in the letter.
'This force is deploying for the purpose of protecting US citizens and property, if necessary, and is equipped for combat.'
Meanwhile, the Pentagon is increasing its drone activities inside Iraq.
Between 30 and 35 drone are flying over the country every day with some of them armed with air-to-surface missiles.
In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Obama reiterated that targeted airstrikes remain an option.
"We have to improve our surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence there," he said. "Special Forces are going to have a role. And there are going to be times where we take strikes against organizations that could do us harm."
The US military sent the USS Bataan to the Persian Gulf with 1,000 marines on board to join six other warships.
American warships in the region are the USS Arleigh Burke, the USS Truxton, the USS Gunston Hall, the USS George HW Bush, the USS O'Kane, the USS Philippine Sea, and the USS Mesa Verde.
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