U.S. officials concluded in a military assessment that Americans assigned to advise Iraq’s security forces could face risks to their safety due to infiltration of the security forces by Sunni extremists and Shiite personnel backed by Iran, the New York Times reports.
The report concludes that only about half of Iraq’s operational units are capable enough for American commandos to advise them if the White House decides to help roll back the advances made by Sunni militants in northern and western Iraq over the past month.
Adding to the administration’s dilemma is the assessment’s conclusion that Iraqi forces loyal to Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki are now heavily dependent on Shiite militias — many of which were trained in Iran — as well as on advisers from Iran’s paramilitary Quds Force. […]
The findings underscore the challenges ahead for the Obama administration as it seeks to confront militants with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, which has seized major cities in Iraq, all but erased the Syrian-Iraqi border and, on Sunday, staged a raid less than an hour’s drive from Baghdad.
The administration is weighing options as to whether to send more military advisers, weaponry, and surveillance systems. President Obama has ruled out sending combat troops to Iraq. Airstrikes still remain an option.