Analyst: It's a mistake for Pentagon to blame Iraqis in Islamic State fight

By Jacqueline Klimas, Jacqueline Klimas

Published December 20, 2015

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The Pentagon on Wednesday promised to do more to help Iraq defeat the Islamic State, but only when Iraqi fighters show the "motivation" to defeat the terrorist group.

"We have about 3,500 troops at six locations in support of Iraqi Security Forces, or ISF. There, we've been providing increased lethal fire and augmenting the existing training, advising and assisting program. And we're prepared to do more as Iraq shows capability and motivation in the counter-ISIL fight and in resolving its political divisions," Defense Secretary Ash Carter said at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, using the administration's preferred term for the Islamic State.

The comments are reminiscent of Carter's statement this summer when Ramadi fell into Islamic State control because of an Iraqi force that, while vastly outnumbering the terrorists, lacked the "will to fight."