Iraq Confirms France Will Aid In Islamic State Airstrikes
Iraq officials confirmed Friday that France will be joining the U.S. effort to "degrade and ultimately destroy" the Islamic State through a series of airstrikes.
After meeting with French President Francois Hollande in Baghdad this week, Iraq's new Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi confirmed Friday that France will help with the airstrikes
"In order to confront Daesh, we need aerial support from our allies," al-Abadi said of the Islamic State, which is referred to as Daesh in the Arabic language. "The French president promised me today that France will participate in this effort, hitting the positions of the terrorists in Iraq."
France is the latest country to agree to airstrikes against the Islamic State. Earlier this week, President Barack Obama announced that it would be initiating airstrikes in Syria to destroy the Islamic State. Germany has said that it won't partake in the airstrikes, and Turkey has said it will only aid in humanitarian efforts in Syria and Iraq.
After Obama announced that the U.S. will be conducting airstrikes in Syria, both Syria and Iran condemned the strategy. Syria said that the United States' move could be the "first sparks of fire" in the region.
Russia also condemned the United States' strategy, with a statement from the country's foreign ministry office saying such airstrikes "would be an act of aggression and flagrant violation of international law."
Obama said in his address to the American people on Wednesday that he wants "the American people to understand how this effort will be different from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will not involve American combat troops fighting on foreign soil."
"This counter-terrorism campaign will be waged through a steady, relentless effort to take out ISIL wherever they exist using our air power and our support for partner forces on the ground. This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years."
