US Defense Secretary Ash Carter has met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad and discussed a range of issues including fight against the ISIL Takfiri terrorists.
According to reports, Carter arrived in Baghdad on Thursday on his first visit since he became defense secretary in February to get his "own on-the-ground assessment of the campaign".
He said that the US is willing to provide Iraqi military with more assistance in the fight against the ISIL militants.
"We are willing to do more... when and if (the Iraqis) develop capable, motivated forces of their own that can take and retain territory," he told some of the 3,500 US military trainers and advisers in Iraq.
His visit comes as efforts are being made to recapture Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, which was seized by the ISIL terrorists two months ago. The heavily armed militants started their terrorist activities in Iraq in early June 2014 and took control of Mosul before sweeping through other parts of the country.
In his meeting with al-Abadi, Carter said that Washington is willing to keep helping Iraq militarily and cited the recent delivery of four F-16s as evidence of the strong relationship between the two countries.
"We will make sure that we keep the political and the military efforts coordinated, aligned, and moving at the same pace – that is a fast pace," Carter told al-Abadi. "And the F-16 delivery is just one example of the momentum of our relationship."
On July 13, the US delivered the first batch of F-16 fighter jets at the Balad air base after a long delay over security concerns that the ISIL might overrun Balad, which is located about 45 miles from Baghdad.
