AP FACT CHECK: Republican debaters go astray
By TAMI ABDOLLAH and VIVIAN SALAMA The vast complexities of a dangerous world were cast in too-simple terms in the latest Republican presidential debate. In addition, Chris Christie pledged to…
Iraqi armed forces
Carter: US willing to do more to help Iraqis retake Ramadi
By DEB RIECHMANN In a steady escalation of the fight against Islamic State militants, the U.S. military stands ready to send more American personnel and attack helicopters to Iraq, especially…
New Joint Chiefs chairman looks over war zone in Iraq
By LOLITA C. BALDOR The new top U.S. military officer said Tuesday he sees no prospect right now for Russia to expand its airstrike campaign into Iraq, speaking after briefings…
Iraq’s stalemate in Ramadi raises doubts about US strategy
By ROBERT BURNS A summer of stalemate in the effort to reclaim the Iraqi provincial capital of Ramadi, despite U.S.-backed Iraqi troops vastly outnumbering Islamic State fighters, calls into question…
IS top command dominated by ex-officers in Saddam’s army
By HAMZA HENDAWI and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA While attending the Iraqi army’s artillery school nearly 20 years ago, Ali Omran remembers one major well. An Islamic hard-liner, he once chided Omran…
An IS secret to success: Shock troops who fight to the death
By HAMZA HENDAWI, QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and BASSEM MROUE They are the Islamic State group’s elite shock troops. Fanatical and disciplined, they infiltrate cities of Iraq and Syria, unleash mayhem and…
US to send 400-plus more troops to train Iraqis
By JIM KUHNHENN and NEDRA PICKLER The Obama administration is about to announce the U.S. will send more troops to Iraq to boost the training of local forces, officials said…
Obama: US lacks ‘complete strategy’ for training Iraqis
By NEDRA PICKLER The United States does not yet have a “complete strategy” for training Iraqi forces to fight Islamic State militants, President Barack Obama said Monday amid signs of…