dwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwmonthly installments to cover their expenses. The Kurds, like the Iraqi government, have seen their revenues decline with the price of oil.
Pulling American forces out of Iraq was a crucial plank of Mr. Obama’s campaign platform when he ran for president in 2008. Since the rise of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, he has pledged that there will be no “combat” troops deployed in those countries, leading senior administration and Defense Department officials to sometimes offer conflicting accounts as they have tried to explain the military’s role in the campaign.
Another example of that arose on Monday.
Mr. Carter acknowledged that the advisers would be closer to the front lines. But the top American general in Iraq, Sean MacFarland, said “not necessarily closer to the fight,” in response to a reporter’s question about the new policy.
General MacFarland said the American troops would be “closer to the commanders who are making the critical decisions on the ground.”
US kills ISIS's second in command
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By Rebecca Kheel - 03/25/16 09:57 AM EDT
A man considered to be the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria’s (ISIS) second in command was killed by U.S. forces earlier this week, the Pentagon announced Friday.
An operation this week killed Haji Imam, a senior religious leader who was considered to be in line to succeed ISIS leader Omar al-Baghdadi. He was also the group's finance minister and responsible for external affairs, according to Defense Secretary Ash Carter.
“We are systematically eliminating ISIL’s cabinet,” Carter said, using a different acronym for the group. “Removing this ISIL leader will hamper the organization’s ability to conduct operations both inside and outside Syria and Iraq.”
“The momentum of this campaign is now clearly on our side,” Carter added.
Carter declined to provide any more details on the operation that killed Imam.
“Any more details than that could put lives and...