Obama pledges $200M in aid for displaced Iraqis

President Obama on Tuesday pledged $200 million in additional humanitarian assistance to Iraq to help people displaced by fighting with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

But he stopped short of committing more military assistance to Iraq, which was reportedly requested by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Obama made the announcement after an Oval Office meeting with al-Abadi, who is making his first visit to Washington since becoming prime minister last year.

{mosads}The president told reporters after the meeting that it is the United States’s responsibility to provide the aid to help “individual families and children who have suffered as a consequence of ISIL’s activities,” using its perferred acronym for the terror group.  

Obama said Iraq, allied militias and coalition forces have made progress in driving ISIS militants out of the country, claiming they have taken back a quarter of the territory seized by the group.

With the support of U.S. airstrikes, Iraqi forces have driven ISIS fighters out of Tikrit and are preparing an offensive in Mosul and Anbar province.

But the president said it could take a long time before the group is ultimately defeated.  

“Success will not occur overnight,” Obama said. “But what is clear is that we will be successful.”

Al-Abadi said U.S. support has been critical to the progress made against ISIS and that more would be needed to continue to make gains. 

Obama was asked whether he would supply more military equipment to Iraq, such as Apache helicopters and drones. But he would not commit to sending more, saying he was talking with al-Abadi to ensure that Iraq and the coalition are “in a position to succeed in our common mission.”

The U.S. has spent $2.4 billion since June in aiding the fight against ISIS, the Pentagon said last month.

Obama and al-Abadi both expressed concern about the role of Iran-backed Shiite militias that have been assisting Iraqi security forces. The leaders said they welcomed help from other countries in the region but said foreign fighters must respect Iraq’s sovereignty.

The president said militias must coordinate their activities with Iraq’s government and be “answerable to” its chain of command.

“That’s how you respect Iraqi sovereignty,” he said.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said there was no “specific request” from Iraq for additional military systems.