US President Barack Obama is poised to quicken the pace of weapons supplies and training to Iraqi tribes, while eyeing a rapid offensive to recapture Ramadi from the Islamic State group.
Obama huddled Tuesday with his national security team at the White House to plot a way forward after the loss of a strategically vital town on the steps of the capital Baghdad.
Following the meeting — which included the heads of the CIA and Pentagon, National Security Council staff and Secretary of State John Kerry via secure phone link — officials indicated Obama was ready to ramp up assistance to Sunni tribes that dominate the province around Ramadi.
“We are looking at how best to support local ground forces in Anbar” National Security Council spokesman Alistair Baskey told AFP, “including accelerating the training and equipping of local tribes and supporting an Iraqi-led operation to retake Ramadi.”
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