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U.S. NEWS A3
Saturday 9 April 2016
Kerry backs Iraqi leader, no planned increase in US troops
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Stuart Jones, center left, walks with Secretary of State John Kerry as he BRADLEY KLAPPER military advances. Iraqi
arrives via military transport at Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Friday, April 8, 2016. Associated Press forces say they entered
BAGHDAD (AP) — U.S. Sec- the strategically important
(Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP) retary of State John Kerry IS-held town of Hit on Thurs-
backed Iraq’s prime min- day,
ister on Friday in his efforts while the Pentagon is con-
to resolve a mounting po- sidering establishing more
litical crisis, underlining the small military outposts to
importance of securing a provide artillery support
“unified and functioning and other aid to Iraqi forces
government” in the fight readying an assault on Mo-
against the Islamic State. sul, Islamic State’s strong-
Kerry also pledged $155 hold in the country. Last
million in new U.S. aid to month, the U.S. opened
Iraq. the first such base since re-
Making an unannounced turning to Iraq in 2014.
visit to Baghdad, his first in But al-Abadi faces chal-
two years, Kerry held dis- lenges of his own. Al-Abadi
cussions with Prime Min- proposed a new cabinet
ister Haider al-Abadi as line-up amid mounting
well as with Iraq’s foreign pressure from supporters
minister, the Sunni speaker of a hard-line Shiite cleric
of parliament and a Kurd- who last month staged ral-
ish regional leader in what lies and a sit-in next to the
was designed as a show of government headquarters
support for the Iraqi gov- to demand reforms. But the
ernment as it struggles with move was quickly met with
ongoing security, broad opposition, making
economic and political it unlikely that al-Abadi will
challenges. He described be able to obtain confir-
al-Abadi’s effort to reshuf- mations for the key political
fle his cabinet as an inter- posts.
nal matter, but said all sides “We don’t play a role in
in Iraq must put sectarian that,” Kerry said, trying to
or personal interests aside emphasize neutrality.
for the sake of the nation’s But he also said he had
future. “no doubt” that al-Abadi
“It is important to have sta- was “extremely focused
bility,” Kerry told reporters. on making certain that
“And it is important to have there is a strong govern-
a unified and functioning ment in place” and hailed
government as soon as the prime minister for dem-
possible, so that these op- onstrating “critical leader-
erations are not affected.” ship” in the face of enor-
Kerry’s trip coincides with mous difficulties.
Carter: US missile defense system
is ‘going to happen’ in South Korea
WASHINGTON (AP) — The He was asked if the THAAD
proposed placement of a deployment was going to
U.S. missile defense system happen. “It’s going to hap-
in South Korea is “going to pen,” Carter told the Coun-
happen” despite Chinese cil on Foreign Relations in
opposition, Defense Secre- New York. “No, it’s a neces-
tary Ash Carter said Friday. sary thing. It’s between us
Washington and Seoul be- and the South Koreans. It’s
gan talks last month on part of protecting our own
deploying the Terminal forces on the Korean Pen-
High-Altitude Area De- insula and protecting South
fense, or THAAD, system to Korea. It has nothing to do
combat the threat of North with the Chinese.”
Korean missiles, following Both China and Russia op-
a recent nuclear test and pose the deployment of
long-range rocket launch the THAAD system on South
by Pyongyang. Carter was Korean soil. China has ex-
speaking on U.S. defense pressed concern that it
policy toward the Asia- would allow U.S. radar
Pacific ahead of a trip to to penetrate in Chinese
India and the Philippines. territory.q
