WASHINGTON, D.C. (SDJW) –The White House announced Thursday that Vice President Biden spoke earlier in the day with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The Vice President expressed the United States’ solidarity with Iraq in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The Prime Minister discussed Iraq’s current security situation, and the Vice President made clear that the United States is prepared to continue to intensify and accelerate security support and cooperation with Iraq, under the Strategic Framework Agreement, to confront the urgent and growing threat posed by ISIL. The Vice President underscored that it will be critically important for all of Iraq’s communities to reach a lasting political accommodation and to be united in order to defeat their common enemy, ISIL.
That announcement followed by one day another from the White House press office, which said: “The United States strongly condemns the recent attacks in Iraq by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). We offer our condolences to the families of those killed and underscore our commitment to assist the Iraqi people as they confront the threat that ISIL poses to Iraq and the region. ISIL’s recent actions in Mosul and surrounding areas demonstrate once again that these extremists seek nothing but death and destruction.
“The United States will stand with Iraqi leaders across the political spectrum as they forge the national unity necessary to succeed in the fight against ISIL. We will work with Congress to support the new Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund, which will provide flexibility and resources to help Iraq respond to emerging needs as the terrorist threat from ISIL continues to evolve. Under the Strategic Framework Agreement, we will also continue to provide, and as required increase, assistance to the Government of Iraq to help build Iraq’s capacity to effectively and sustainably stop ISIL’s efforts to wreak havoc in Iraq and the region.”
From Jewish members of the U.S. Senate, there came these reactions on Thursday:
Sen. Carl Levin (D-Michigan), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee: ““We got into Iraq without adequate consideration for the consequences. What is required now is thoughtful consideration of our options, none of which, typically for the Middle East, is obvious or easy. It’s important to keep in mind that a major source of Iraq’s problems has been the refusal of the Maliki government, despite persistent U.S. encouragement, to reach out to its Sunni citizens to forge a unified and inclusive Iraq. No action on our part can resolve that disunity. It’s unclear how air strikes on our part can succeed unless the Iraqi army is willing to fight, and that’s uncertain given the fact that several Iraqi army divisions have melted away. While all options should be considered, the problem in Iraq has not been so much a lack of direct U.S. military involvement, but a lack of reconciliation on the part of Iraqi leaders.”
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-California), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: “The current crisis in Iraq has its roots in an ill-conceived war that helped to fuel sectarian violence and an Iraqi government that has excluded minority populations from governing. Much American blood was spilled during the Iraq War and while I believe we should go after ISIS—which poses a threat to the entire world—any U.S. action must be well-considered and well-executed in coordination with our allies and the Iraqi government and military, which we helped train and arm. Iraq should know that it needs a unity government now or its future will be bleak. Some of the biggest GOP cheerleaders for the disastrous war in Iraq are now joining the blame-America-first crowd rather than working with our Commander-in-Chief to confront this crisis.”
And from the House of Representatives, there was this reaction:
Rep. Eliot Engel, Ranking Member, House Foreign Affairs Committee: “This afternoon, Vice President Biden briefed me along with several other lawmakers on the situation in Iraq. I am deeply concerned, and reports on the ground all point to a rapidly deteriorating crisis. I urge the Maliki government to engage with Sunni and Kurdish leaders, and to look for a solution that will allow all people in Iraq to live side-by-side in peace and security.At the same time, the United States needs to stand with our Iraqi partners to stop the violent extremism that is raining terror down upon the people of Iraq and further destabilizing the entire region.
Going forward, I hope the Administration continues to work closely with Congress to determine next step.”
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Compiled by San Diego Jewish World staff