海角大神

President Obama聽pledged $200 million in humanitarian aid to聽Iraq聽Tuesday to help those displaced by Islamic State militants, while making no mention of any further military support that the Iraqi prime minister came seeking at the White House.

Obama聽made the financial commitment during an Oval Office meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Asked by a reporter whether he would provide helicopters, drones, or other military support that al-Abadi has requested,聽Obama聽only said they are continually improving coordination to make sure Iraqi forces are positioned to succeed against Islamic State militants.

The prime minister thanked the United States for its sacrifices in the effort to liberate聽Iraq聽and said their cooperation is pushing back terrorism. He said he and聽Obama聽discussed plans to liberate the Islamic State strongholds in Anbar province and the city of Mosul, after a successful campaign backed by U.S. airstrikes to push the militants out of Tikrit.

"President聽Obama聽and the U.S. administration have expressed full readiness to provide support for our security forces in our effort to liberate all of聽Iraq," al-Abadi said.

Speaking to reporters at the end of the meeting,聽Obama聽said Iraqi forces are getting better equipped and trained since al-Abadi's election seven months ago. He also noted聽Iraq聽and a U.S.-led coalition have recovered about one-fourth of the territory the Islamic State had captured in the country.

Obama聽said the two leaders also discussed Iran's involvement in the fight against militants in聽Iraq, a major point of concern for the U.S. Shiite militias believed to be backed by Iran are playing a major role in helping the Iraqi military roll back IS advances in the country. "We expect Iran to have an important relationship with聽Iraq聽as a close neighbor,"聽Obama聽said.

But聽Obama聽said that any foreign assistance must be orchestrated through聽Iraq's聽government and be answerable to聽Iraq's聽chain of command. "It sends a clear message that ultimately聽Iraq聽is in control of its own destiny,"Obama聽said.

However,聽Obama聽said the process of pushing back the militant group will be long and it was crucial for the U.S. to help support families who have been displaced by the militants. He also said al-Abadi's commitment to include all sectarian factions in聽Iraq's聽government is critical.

"None of this works unless there is a perception among all the parties involved 鈥� Shia, Sunni, Kurd and others 鈥� inside of聽Iraq聽that this is an inclusive government that is listening to the voices of all the people, and including them in decision-making. The fact that Prime Minister Abadi is doing that makes our job and the job of the coalition easier,"聽Obama聽said.

Obama聽said U.S. coordination with Iraqi forces had improved consistently as聽Iraq's聽military has improved. He said U.S. air support for the mission there continues to be critically important.

Al-Abadi told reporters Monday as he left for Washington that an increase in U.S. airstrikes, weapons deliveries and training has helped roll back Islamic State forces, but he needed greater support from the international coalition to "finish" them. "We want to see more," he said.