Just hours after the beheading of a 2nd American journalist, The White House has issued a statement:
- *U.S. TO SEND ABOUT 350 MILITARY PERSONNEL TO IRAQ: WHITE HOUSE
- *WHITE HOUSE SAYS ADDITIONAL FORCES WON'T SERVE IN A COMBAT ROLE
With American non-combat, humanitarian, advisers now being dispersed to the four corners of the world for non-combat, humanitarian, advisory roles; one wonders how long it will be before someone asks President Obama just what these peace-keeping non-combat personnel will be doing in their role "to protect diplomatic facilities and personnel in Baghdad."
Statement from Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby on Security Personnel in #Iraq [8] pic.twitter.com/XrZwljqnVE [9]
— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) September 3, 2014 [10]
As Politico reports, [11]
President Barack Obama has authorized the Pentagon to send about 350 more troops to Iraq, the White House announced this evening.
The Defense Department had been considering a request from the State Department for the additional forces to protect “diplomatic facilities and personnel” in Iraq, the White House said. “These additional forces will not serve in a combat role.”
Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said the new detachment would increase the total number of U.S. troops “augmenting diplomatic security in Iraq” to about 820. The new force includes a headquarters element, medical personnel, helicopters and “an air liaison team,” Kirby said. About 55 troops who have been in Baghdad since June will “redeploy” elsewhere in Central Command as part of the move.
