Iraq crisis: US ready for 'targeted' and 'precise' military action, president Barack Obama says

Updated

US president Barack Obama says he is sending military advisers to Iraq and is ready to take "targeted" and "precise" military action following the swift advance of radical Sunni fighters.

Speaking at the White House, Mr Obama said the United States was ready to send up to 300 advisers to Iraq to help combat the threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its Sunni allies.

The US teams could set up joint operations centres in Baghdad and near Mosul, the northern Iraqi city that fell to ISIS rebels last week, the president suggested.

Mr Obama's comments came as Iraqi government forces battled Sunni militants for control of the country's biggest oil refinery.

"Going forward, we will be prepared to take targeted and precise military action if and when we determine that the situation on the ground requires it," he said.

"If we do, I will consult closely with Congress and leaders in Iraq and in the region."

Mr Obama said it was a good investment for Washington to intervene in Iraq if it prevented ISIS fighters establishing bases which could eventually pose a threat to the West.

"Regardless of what's happened in the past, right now is a moment where the fate of Iraq hangs in the balance," he said.

But he was adamant the deployment of military advisers did not foreshadow a larger commitment of troops, reiterating US forces would not be returning to combat in Iraq.

"We do not have the ability to simply solve this problem by sending in tens of thousands of troops and committing the kinds of blood and treasure that has already been expended in Iraq," he said.

"Ultimately, this is something that is going to have to be solved by the Iraqis.

"We're prepared to send a small number of additional American military advisers, up to 300, [to] assess how we can best train, advise and support Iraqi security forces going forward," he said.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings believes the US should have started air strikes as soon as fighting broke out.

"Firstly to stop the ISIS advance onto Baghdad. Secondly to go after their command facilities because really the big risk is, [and] what we are seeing is, the consolidation of an ISIS control over territory," Mr Jennings said.

Battle rages for control of country's largest oil refinery

The Sunni insurgent advance toward Baghdad has slowed, with a political ally of Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki reportedly saying that has allowed more time to consider the options for US military involvement.

At the Baiji oil refinery, the scene of days of heavy fighting, troops loyal to the Shiite-led government held off insurgents who had stormed the perimeter, threatening national energy supplies.

A government spokesman said that its forces were in "complete control", but a witness in Baiji said fighting was continuing and militants were still present.

Video aired by Al Arabiya television showed smoke billowing from the plant and a black flag used by ISIS flying from a building.

The 250 to 300 remaining staff were evacuated early on Thursday, one of those workers said by telephone. Military helicopters had attacked militant positions overnight, he added.

Baiji, 40 kilometres north of Saddam Hussein's home city of Tikrit, lies squarely in territory captured in the past week by an array of armed Sunni groups, spearheaded by ISIS, which is seeking a new Islamic caliphate in Iraq and Syria.

On Tuesday, staff shut down the plant, which makes much of the fuel Iraqis in the north need for both transport and generating electricity.

Refinery could add to burgeoning resources of ISIS

If the Baiji refinery was to fall, ISIS and its allies will have access to a large supply of fuel to add to the weaponry and economic resources seized in Mosul and across the north.

An oil ministry official feared the loss of Baiji would cause shortages in the north, including the autonomous Kurdish area, but that the impact on Baghdad would be limited – at around 20 per cent of supplies – since it was served by other refineries.

Some international oil companies have pulled out foreign workers. The head of Iraq's Southern Oil Company, Dhiya Jaffar, said Exxon Mobil had conducted a major evacuation and BP had pulled out 20 per cent of its staff.

Former vice-president warns against military intervention

Former Iraqi vice president Tariq al-Hashimi, formerly one of the country's top Sunni politicians, has warned against military intervention.

Speaking to ABC TV's Lateline program, Mr Hashimi said his advice to the US was "they shouldn't rush, they shouldn't take any hasty decision, they should try to steady the evolving events".

"We have Iraq [at a] turning point," he said.

"This is the result of using force. All what we need is wisdom, instead of using force."

Mr Hashimi, who fled into exile after falling out with Mr Maliki, and has been sentenced to death in absentia on terrorism charges, said he was in "indirect" talks with the the US about the situation in Iraq.

"I am very much interested to go back to my country," he said.

"My normal position should be in my country and not in exile."

Iraq conflict in maps

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Iraq conflict in maps

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Just two years after the withdrawal of US troops, Iraq has again been plunged into sectarian-fuelled violence and chaos.

Terrorist group IS (

The country, which was invaded by a coalition led by the US in 2003, has been riven along religious and ethnic lines for the past decade and faces an uncertain future.

At the heart of the conflict is distrust between the two branches of Islam in the country - Sunni and Shia - a divide replicated throughout the Middle East.

News Online explores the crisis facing the country.

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Originally a splinter group from the Iraq chapter of Al Qaeda, IS has benefited from unrest in Syria and the deep mistrust which Iraq's Sunni minority feels towards the central Shia-dominated government.

Bolstered by support from the Sunni tribal leaders in northern Iraq, and the disbanding of the largely Sunni Saddam-era armed forces, IS entered the conflict in Syria and quickly gained a reputation for brutality and effectiveness.

It used this experience to return to northern Iraq, launching a series of attacks culminating in

IS holds cities and towns right up to the outskirts of Baghdad and currently controls a vast swathe of territory across Iraq and Syria.

While its presence remains largely limited to Iraq and Syria, the ultimate objective is the establishment of an extremist Islamic state across the region, incorporating Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

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Despite being backed by billions of dollars in US military aid, the central armed forces of Iraq have proved largely ineffective against ISIS, and have allowed it

IS gained control of Sunni strongholds Fallujah and Ramadi in January, and Abu Ghraib, just 30 kilometres from Baghdad, in April, releasing hundreds of prisoners held there.

The Iraqi government, led by Nouri al-Maliki, has been caught flat-footed by the onslaught, with new intelligence emerging indicating IS has over $2 billion in cash and weaponry.

While Baghdad is unlikely to fall, the conflict is beginning to take on the dimensions of a civil war, as was the case in 2006 before the US troop surge returned a modicum of order to the country.

The Iraqi army has begun a counter-attack aimed at pushing IS back from the capital, but faces the prospect of a largely unsympathetic Sunni population in the IS-occupied areas.

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To the north, Iraq's Kurdish population has

The Kurds have been at loggerheads with the central Iraqi government over the extent of their territorial claims, and there is a strong desire for independence from the rest of Iraq.

The prize for the Kurdish semi-autonomous government is Kirkuk, the historic capital of the Kurds in Iraq, and the area's oil fields, which are among the most lucrative in the country.

While the Maliki government may in the long-term be successful in seeing off the IS threat, it will face a strengthened Kurdish region unwilling to release its gains.

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While pitched battles are being fought outside the capital, in the largely Shia provinces in the south-east of the country there is no major threat to the central government.

This area is home to the most densely populated areas in Iraq, as well as 75 per cent of the country's oil production, and has served to

Over 2.5 million barrels of oil are shipped out of the southern port near Basra every day, and the country's main area of oil exploration to the north is likely to remain in Kurdish hands.

The only major refinery in IS-held areas, situated outside Baiji to the north of Tikrit, remains in government hands.

The main impact the unrest is likely to have on the industry is the continued closure of a major pipeline that can deliver 600,000 barrels of oil per day to Turkey.

The pipeline was sabotaged in March and authorities had hoped to have it repaired shortly before the conflict escalated.

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The conflict raises awkward questions of responsibility for the international community, with the Obama administration and other leaders anxious to avoid returning troops to Iraq.

Despite public denials of culpability,

ISIS's presence in Syria, and grand regional ambitions, also add a new dimension to the Syrian conflict, which is entering its fourth year with no sign of resolution.

US forces have carried out airstrikes against IS targets in northern Iraq as political friends and foes criticise president Barack Obama's decision to limit American action in the country.

US military aircraft also dropped relief supplies to up to 50,000 Yazidis who gathered on Mount Sinjar, seeking shelter from the insurgents.

Whatever is decided internationally, the future looks bleak for Iraq as a nation, as calls grow for the country to split into three along ethnic lines.

Just two years after the withdrawal of US troops, Iraq has again been plunged into sectarian-fuelled violence and chaos.Terrorist group IS ( Islamic State ) has routed the Iraqi army in the north of the country and seized the country's second largest city.The country, which was invaded by a coalition led by the US in 2003, has been riven along religious and ethnic lines for the past decade and faces an uncertain future.At the heart of the conflict is distrust between the two branches of Islam in the country - Sunni and Shia - a divide replicated throughout the Middle East.News Online explores the crisis facing the country.Originally a splinter group from the Iraq chapter of Al Qaeda, IS has benefited from unrest in Syria and the deep mistrust which Iraq's Sunni minority feels towards the central Shia-dominated government.Bolstered by support from the Sunni tribal leaders in northern Iraq, and the disbanding of the largely Sunni Saddam-era armed forces, IS entered the conflict in Syria and quickly gained a reputation for brutality and effectiveness.It used this experience to return to northern Iraq, launching a series of attacks culminating in taking the northern hub of Mosul , Iraq's second largest city.IS holds cities and towns right up to the outskirts of Baghdad and currently controls a vast swathe of territory across Iraq and Syria.While its presence remains largely limited to Iraq and Syria, the ultimate objective is the establishment of an extremist Islamic state across the region, incorporating Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian Territories.Despite being backed by billions of dollars in US military aid, the central armed forces of Iraq have proved largely ineffective against ISIS, and have allowed it within a stone's throw of the capital of Baghdad.IS gained control of Sunni strongholds Fallujah and Ramadi in January, and Abu Ghraib, just 30 kilometres from Baghdad, in April, releasing hundreds of prisoners held there.The Iraqi government, led by Nouri al-Maliki, has been caught flat-footed by the onslaught, with new intelligence emerging indicating IS has over $2 billion in cash and weaponry.While Baghdad is unlikely to fall, the conflict is beginning to take on the dimensions of a civil war, as was the case in 2006 before the US troop surge returned a modicum of order to the country.The Iraqi army has begun a counter-attack aimed at pushing IS back from the capital, but faces the prospect of a largely unsympathetic Sunni population in the IS-occupied areas.To the north, Iraq's Kurdish population has seized the opportunity to fill the vacuum left by the Iraqi army, with its militia making advances into IS-held territory.The Kurds have been at loggerheads with the central Iraqi government over the extent of their territorial claims, and there is a strong desire for independence from the rest of Iraq.The prize for the Kurdish semi-autonomous government is Kirkuk, the historic capital of the Kurds in Iraq, and the area's oil fields, which are among the most lucrative in the country.While the Maliki government may in the long-term be successful in seeing off the IS threat, it will face a strengthened Kurdish region unwilling to release its gains.While pitched battles are being fought outside the capital, in the largely Shia provinces in the south-east of the country there is no major threat to the central government.This area is home to the most densely populated areas in Iraq, as well as 75 per cent of the country's oil production, and has served to minimise the impact of the conflict on global oil markets.Over 2.5 million barrels of oil are shipped out of the southern port near Basra every day, and the country's main area of oil exploration to the north is likely to remain in Kurdish hands.The only major refinery in IS-held areas, situated outside Baiji to the north of Tikrit, remains in government hands.The main impact the unrest is likely to have on the industry is the continued closure of a major pipeline that can deliver 600,000 barrels of oil per day to Turkey.The pipeline was sabotaged in March and authorities had hoped to have it repaired shortly before the conflict escalated.The conflict raises awkward questions of responsibility for the international community, with the Obama administration and other leaders anxious to avoid returning troops to Iraq.Despite public denials of culpability, notably from former British prime minister Tony Blair , it is widely accepted that the seeds of the conflict were sewn during the 2003 invasion and the occupation which followed.ISIS's presence in Syria, and grand regional ambitions, also add a new dimension to the Syrian conflict, which is entering its fourth year with no sign of resolution.US forces have carried out airstrikes against IS targets in northern Iraq as political friends and foes criticise president Barack Obama's decision to limit American action in the country.US military aircraft also dropped relief supplies to up to 50,000 Yazidis who gathered on Mount Sinjar, seeking shelter from the insurgents.Whatever is decided internationally, the future looks bleak for Iraq as a nation, as calls grow for the country to split into three along ethnic lines.

ABC/wires

Topics: foreign-affairs, government-and-politics, terrorism, unrest-conflict-and-war, world-politics, iraq

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