04.03.2015, 23:29
Zitat:Carter: Iranian fighters in Iraq of 'great concern'<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/capitol-hill/2015/03/03/iran-tikrit/24329823/">http://www.militarytimes.com/story/mili ... /24329823/</a><!-- m -->
By Andrew Tilghman, Staff writer 5:16 p.m. EST March 3, 2015
Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Tuesday he is "very concerned" about reports that Iran and Shiite militias are taking over the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and potentially fueling sectarian strife in that nation.
Carter, testifying on Capitol Hill for the first time since he started his job in early February, responded to questions about reports that the U.S. military is sitting on the sidelines as the Iraqis launch a major operation in Tikrit, an important Sunni Arab city north of Baghdad that is controlled by the group known as the Islamic State or ISIL.
Instead, Iran is providing open military support to the Iraqi army. Reports suggest Iranian military officers, Iranian-backed Shiite militias and Iranian artillery units are operating on the ground alongside Iraqi regular army forces.
"Are you concerned that Iran has basically taken over the fight?" Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., asked during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
"I am looking at it with great concern," Carter said.
"Our approach to combating ISIL in Iraq is to work with the Iraqi security forces and a multisectarian government that takes a multisectarian approach to defeating ISIL," he said. "Sectarianism is what brought us to the point where we are, and so I do look at it with concern. We are watching it very closely."
Photos emerged Monday on social media showing Iranian Quds Force commander Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Iraq, directing Shiite militias in their fight against IS militants
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