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War sgainst Islamic State to be long-term campaign - Obama

Arab World Materials 7 July 2015 07:32 (UTC +04:00)
Degrading and destroying the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria will be a long-term campaign using all elements of power, US President Barack Obama said at the Pentagon on Monday.
War sgainst Islamic State to be long-term campaign - Obama

Degrading and destroying the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria will be a long-term campaign using all elements of power, US President Barack Obama said at the Pentagon on Monday.

The President also stressed that currently they are speeding up the training of the local forces on the ground, including Sunni volunteers.

"This will not be quick, it is a long-term campaign."

The US president added that alongside victory there will also be temporary defeats. Volunteers form the Sunni tribes in Iraq can become a new force against the Islamic State, President Barack Obama added.

"More Sunni volunteers are coming forward. Some have already been trained and they can be a new force against ISIL [Islamic State]."

The President explained the United States is speeding up the training of local forces on the ground in Iraq, including Sunni volunteers.

"Meanwhile we continue to ramp up our training and support of local forces that are fighting ISIL [Islamic State] on the ground. As I said before this aspect of our strategy was moving t slowly but the fall of Ramadi has galvanized the Iraqi government."

The ground war against the Islamic State must be led by local forces in Syria and Iraq with the support of the US-led coalition's air power, US President Barack Obama said.

"It will take time to root them [Islamic State] out and doing so must be the job from local forces on the ground with training and air support from our coalition."

Nevertheless, Obama said when the United States has an effective partner on the ground, the ISIL can be defeated.

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