By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON
The U.S. will deploy an additional 1,500 troops to Iraq, nearly doubling the U.S. presence there, in a bid to ramp up efforts to train and assist Iraqi forces as they combat ISIL militants.
The American troops will not assume a combat role, according to Pentagon press secretary John Kirby. He added that U.S. Central Command, or Centcom, will establish two operations centers outside of those currently in Baghdad and Erbil that will be “supported by an appropriate array of force protection capabilities.”
Senior administration officials who spoke on the condition that their names not be made public, said that approximately 630 American troops will take part in the train, advise and assist mission. “A good portion of that number” will protect the training mission.
The officials said that while locations are still being scouted, Anbar and the area north of Baghdad are under consideration.
The remainder of the 1,500 American personnel, about 870, will work on a “building partner capacity” mission in Anbar, Diyala, Baghdad and Erbil.
“Coalition partners will join U.S. personnel at these locations to help build Iraqi capacity and capability,” Kirby said in a statement. "Ultimately, these Iraqi forces, when fully trained, will enable Iraq to better defend its citizens, its borders, and its interests against the threat of ISIL."
The U.S.-developed sites will accommodate the training of 12 Iraqi brigades, three of which would be compromised of peshmerga forces, while nine would be Iraqi army brigades.
Funding for the training operation will come jointly from a request that the administration will submit to Congress, and from the Iraqi government.
The White House announced that it would seek an additional $5.6 billion from Congress to fund the anti-ISIL mission. President Barack Obama requested $58.6 billion from lawmakers in June to fund operations in Afghanistan, defense operations in the Middle East, and other foreign mission.
The more than $5 billion request “reflects our estimate of the costs associated with the counter-ISIL campaign,” according to the officials.
Approximately $3.4 billion will be used by the Pentagon to support the ongoing anti-ISIL campaign, while $1.6 billion will be used to support the Iraq train and equip mission.
The State Department’s operations will receive an additional $520 million boost as part of the request.
Obama and top administration officials briefed congressional leaders at the White House on the anti-ISIL mission and directly appealed for the additional funds.
Centcom Commander Gen. Lloyd Austin also briefed lawmakers on the expanded train and assist mission during the meeting.
Friday's announcement follows a recommendation made by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to Obama based on an Iraqi government request, Centcom's assessment of Iraqi units, "and in concert with the development of a coalition campaign plan to defend key areas and go on the offensive against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant."
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