US says lack of volunteers slows training of Iraqi forces

US Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter said on Wednesday that America’s training of Iraqi forces has slowed down due to a lack of volunteers. “We simply haven’t received enough recruits,” Carter told the House Armed Services Committee.

According to the Pentagon official, only around 7,000 recruits have been trained, in addition to about 2,000 counter-terrorism personnel. “The goal is to train 24,000 Iraqi forces to fight ISIS militants by this autumn,” Carter pointed out.

He described the defeat of Iraqi forces in Ramadi as “deeply disappointing”, and that it “illustrates the importance of a capable and motivated Iraqi ground force.” Events in Ramadi, noted Carter, prompted the Obama administration to take a closer look at the military campaign.

“As I’ve told Iraqi leaders, while the United States is open to supporting Iraq more than we already are, we must see a greater commitment from all parts of the Iraqi government,” he added.