US combat death in Iraq reflects intensifying war

[webfact]

US combat death in Iraq reflects intensifying war
By ROBERT BURNS and SUSANNAH GEORGE

STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — The combat death Tuesday of a U.S Navy SEAL who was advising Kurdish forces in Iraq coincides with a gradually deepening American role in fighting a resilient Islamic State, even as the Iraqis struggle to muster the military and political strength to defeat the militants.

The SEAL, who has not been further identified, is the third American serviceman to die in combat in Iraq since the U.S.-led coalition launched its campaign against the Islamic State in the summer of 2014. Seven months ago, a special operations soldier, 39-year-old Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler, was killed during a Kurdish-led raid on an Islamic State prison in northern Iraq. In March, a Marine artilleryman, Staff Sgt. Louis F. Cardin, 27, was killed when the militants launched a rocket attack on a newly established U.S. firebase outside Mosul.

Over the course of the campaign, the Pentagon has slowly expanded the American military role. The strategy, criticized by some as incremental and inadequate, aims to ensure that the Iraqis do the ground combat, supported by U.S. airpower, special operations advisers and others. As the Iraqis have gained competence and confidence and prepared an assault in hopes of retaking Mosul, the Pentagon has announced plans to put more U.S. troops in Iraq and place them closer to the front lines.

In Defense Secretary Ash Carter's view, that means a greater chance for success. It also means more risk to U.S. troops, as he acknowledged Tuesday in announcing the latest death.

"It shows you it's a serious fight that we have to wage in Iraq," Carter said.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said President Barack Obama had been briefed on the incident and extended condolences to the family of the service member killed in northern Iraq. Earnest said the incident was a "vivid reminder" of the dangers facing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria.

"They are taking grave risks to protect our country. We owe them a deep debt of gratitude," Earnest said.

Tuesday's U.S. death coincides with diverging trends in Iraq. On one hand, Iraqi forces trained and advised by Americans have scored significant battlefield gains in recent months, including the recapture of Ramadi and other advances against IS-held towns in Anbar province. On the other hand, political conflict in Baghdad fed by sectarian rivalry is threatening to derail the entire effort.

Carter said on Monday that as the Iraqis gain battlefield momentum the Pentagon will pursue additional ways to support them,. Recently that has meant adding more U.S. troops to advise Iraqi brigade and battalion commanders closer to the fight. Inevitably that means the likelihood of more U.S. combat casualties, even though the White House insists there are no U.S. "boots on the ground" in Iraq or Syria.

The risk can be expected to grow if, as planned, the U.S. sends Apache attack helicopters into battle in support of an Iraqi assault on Mosul in coming months. The U.S. also has committed to sending more mobile artillery as part of that effort and to providing up to $415 million in support of the Kurds in northern Iraq. Obama recently authorized an increase in the number of troops that can deploy to Iraq to advise and assist Iraqi forces. The cap was increased last week from 3,870 to 4,087.

The U.S. also has announced it will increase the number of special operations forces in Syria from 50 to 300.

As described by an Iraqi Kurdish intelligence officer, Lt. Col. Manav Dosky, Tuesday's Islamic State attack was launched on Teleskof, about 14 miles north of Mosul, just after 6 a.m. The Islamic State broke through the Kurds' front-line position with a barrage of armored Humvees and bulldozers, Dosky said, and clashes killed at least three Kurdish peshmerga fighters. The SEAL was among Americans advising the peshmerga during that battle.

Maj. Gen. Jaber Yawer, a Kurdish peshmerga spokesman, told The Associated Press that the American was killed by IS sniper fire during an IS attack that also involved a number of car bombs.

A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the incident publicly, said the American was killed with small arms fire, suggesting that Islamic State fighters likely came within a few hundred yards of the U.S. forces.

The Americans were two to three miles behind that front line before the attack was launched, the official added.

American forces will continue to stay behind the front lines, the defense official said, but he acknowledged that the U.S. expects more ground fighting as the Iraqi and Kurdish militaries, backed by the U.S., push farther into Islamic State-controlled territory.

___

George reported from Baghdad. Associated Press writers Deb Riechmann in Washington, Sinan Salaheddin in Baghdad and Balint Szlanko in Irbil, Iraq contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-05-04

[Pimay1]

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

[tonbridgebrit]

America, for God's sake, do yourself a favour and stay away from Iraq.

One dead American is one too many. And Ash Carter, shut up, stop dragging America into this cr__.

Go and finance some weapons for some Iraqis to do the fighting, just don't get Americans involved.

[Thaidream]

After thousands of American deaths in Iraq; billions of dollars spent; and an Iraqi Army that folded under an ISIS attack- Americans are still dying for a corrupt Iraq government that doesn't have the will or intestinal fortitude to fight for its own country. America should immediately get out of Iraq and leave it to its devices. The Arab Armies should pick up the fight and the US should attend to the needs of a struggling American public . The military-industrialist complex will never give in until Americans stop it. Vote for a Presidential candidate who will stop this madness- Bernie Sanders.

[Kiwiken]

Would this be happening if they had stopped after the liberation of Kuwait?

"Non omnes qui destruuntur praeter lectiones resumere"

[smotherb]

After thousands of American deaths in Iraq; billions of dollars spent; and an Iraqi Army that folded under an ISIS attack- Americans are still dying for a corrupt Iraq government that doesn't have the will or intestinal fortitude to fight for its own country. America should immediately get out of Iraq and leave it to its devices. The Arab Armies should pick up the fight and the US should attend to the needs of a struggling American public . The military-industrialist complex will never give in until Americans stop it. Vote for a Presidential candidate who will stop this madness- Bernie Sanders.

Will he run as an Independent?

[Krataiboy]

America, for God's sake, do yourself a favour and stay away from Iraq.

One dead American is one too many. And Ash Carter, shut up, stop dragging America into this cr__.

Go and finance some weapons for some Iraqis to do the fighting, just don't get Americans involved.

America, for God's sake, do yourself a favour and stay away from Iraq.

You're 13 years too late with that good advice, sport.

[pitrevie]

America, for God's sake, do yourself a favour and stay away from Iraq.

One dead American is one too many. And Ash Carter, shut up, stop dragging America into this cr__.

Go and finance some weapons for some Iraqis to do the fighting, just don't get Americans involved.

America, for God's sake, do yourself a favour and stay away from Iraq.

You're 13 years too late with that good advice, sport.

Cheney gave them that advice in 1994, he stated if you invade Iraq you will destabilize the whole of that region. Now no prizes for guessing who the two idiots were who ignored that advice,

[Koosdedooes]

America, for God's sake, do yourself a favour and stay away from Iraq.

One dead American is one too many. And Ash Carter, shut up, stop dragging America into this cr__.

Go and finance some weapons for some Iraqis to do the fighting, just don't get Americans involved.

America, for God's sake, do yourself a favour and stay away from Iraq.

You're 13 years too late with that good advice, sport.

Cheney gave them that advice in 1994, he stated if you invade Iraq you will destabilize the whole of that region. Now no prizes for guessing who the two idiots were who ignored that advice,

What makes you think the "advice" he gave was advise not to invade Iraq, he made a lot of money out it...his advice was factually correct..and maybe he was advising to destabilise the region which is exactly what happened

[arjunadawn]

Would this be happening if they had stopped after the liberation of Kuwait?

"Non omnes qui destruuntur praeter lectiones resumere"

Yea, sadly I think it would be happening. In any event, I think Iraq was intended as a domino, not the game board itself.

Bush should be rightfully crucified in the public memory for his String of Pearls folly to tackle the "Iran issue," Iraq being the second pearl. Equally, so too should his predecessor. Its been long stated that America gives its allies just enough aid to lose. Its clearly the case that this has been institutionalized. We now always give Americans just enough support to lose as well.

Regarding the telegraphs that empowers others, it should be noted that Kerry made comments where he has now drew another Red Line in the sand regarding Syria (Aug 2016). Its really no surprise at all that the world is imperiled when the Apple Dumpling Gang runs US policy.