Obama administration officials said Tuesday they are ready to boost economic and military aid to Iraq if Baghdad forms a new, more diverse government.Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, in Australia for diplomatic talks, said the additional support would stop short of combat troops. The U.S. does stand ready to fully support a new inclusive Iraqi government, Mr. Kerry said. Without any question we are prepared to consider additional political, economic and security options as Iraq starts to build a new government. The administration is offering more money and military backing for the new government in its fight against militants of the Islamic State, which controls large swaths of territory in northern Iraq. The U.S. wants prime minister designate Haider al-Ibadi to form a new government quickly to replace Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is refusing to step down.
As a new government takes shape we would consider further requests from that new government, Mr. Hagel said.President Obama called Mr. Ibadi Monday to congratulate him, calling his nomination a first step forward to resolving the crisis.Copyright 2014 The Washington Times, LLC. . Comment(s) You Might Also LikeCelebrity deaths in 2014 Shares Famous conservatives in professional sports Shares Top 10 handguns in the U.S. Shares Obama s biggest White House fails Shares Conservatives in Hollywood: Celebrities who lean right Shares 4 Ways to Avoid Running Out of Money in RetirementSponsored by Fisher InvestmentsPhoto Galleries41 Photos22 Photos30 Photos25 Photos44 Photos10 Photos16 Photos24 Photos9 Photos31 Photos9 Photos14 PhotosQuestion of the DayWhat has been the biggest debacle on Obama s watch?Question of the Day
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About the Author
Dave Boyer is a White House correspondent for The Washington Times. A native of Allentown, Pa., Boyer worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 2002 to 2011 and also has covered Congress for the Times. He is a graduate of Penn State University. Boyer can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .