US rules out full-scale reinvasion of Iraq

Washington wants to build up capacity of fighters on the ground, inside of Iraq, who are willing to fight for their own country

The US today ruled out a full-scale reinvasion of Iraq by American military in view of the Islamic State gaining ground in the country.

"The President will not be comfortable with the full-scale reinvasion of Iraq by the United States military," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.

"That is a strategy that did not serve the long-term interest of the United States. What the President believes serves the long-term interest of the United States is building up the capacity of fighters on the ground, inside of Iraq, who are willing to fight for their own country," he said.

"We believe that this will require political leadership in Baghdad that governs the diverse country of Iraq in a multi-sectarian fashion," he said, adding that it will also ensure that Iraq is better equipped to fight the threat that they face from ISIL right now.

Earnest said the US will continue to build up the capacity of local fighters on the ground in Iraq and in Syria to take the fight against ISIL in their own country.

"They will have the strong support of the United States and the coalition of 60 countries that the President leads, and they'll have that support in the form of offering training and equipment to those local fighters," he said.

"They'll be able to get some battlefield advice from coalition personnel that are deployed to Iraq. And they will importantly have the support of coalition military airpower that has enhanced the effectiveness of these local fighters on the battlefield in those areas where it has been implemented," Earnest said in response to a question.