Iraq war planners urge U.S. military presence once Islamic State is defeated

Iraq war planners urge U.S. military presence once Islamic State is defeated

Over time, that terrorist network reconstituted inside war-ravaged Syria and re-emerged as the Islamic State, also called ISIL and ISIS.

Gen. Keane said the administration also needs to accelerate programs to sell to Iraq F-16 fighters and Apache attack choppers, and to train their pilots. Both aircraft can support ground troops directly with precision weapons. They also could interdict a repeat invasion by the Islamic State.

The Obama administration announced a deal more than a year ago to sell Baghdad 24 Apache AH-64s, complete with spare parts and a team of trainers — all costing about $6 billion. U.S.-piloted Apaches have been striking Islamic State targets in Iraq.

Gen. Keane said that, in a post-Islamic State Iraq, he would rotate an Army brigade combat team with a two-star general-commanded division headquarters, augmented by air support. Total force: about 7,000.

The battle to retake the city of Tikrit, which Baghdad announced Wednesday is now in government hands, showed the benefit of U.S. air power. Once the U.S. belatedly began airstrikes, the bombings helped pave the way for Iraqi soldiers and Shiite militiamen to reach the center of the city.

U.S. Central Command said it targeted structures known to house Islamic State fighters.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Monday spoke to soldiers at Fort Drum, New York, which is sending a cadre of trainers and advisers to Iraq in an ongoing effort to rebuild the demoralized Iraqi Security Forces.

“Some of you, and this is important, will be going to Iraq,” Mr. Carter told the soldiers. “And there to train, advise and assist the Iraqi Security Forces so that they can be the force that sustained the defeat of ISIL after ISIL is defeated, which it will be. But in order to sustain that defeat, we need a force on the ground, and that’s what you’ll be helping to create.”

His statement raises the question of whether the administration has decided that Iraqi troops will need coaching after defeating the Islamic State.

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