Obama orders more troops to protect U.S. embassy in Baghdad

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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/09/02/obama-orders-more-troops-to-protect-u-s-embassy-in-baghdad/

Obama orders more troops to protect U.S. embassy in Baghdad
By Reuters
Tuesday, September 2, 2014 22:27 EDT
By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama has ordered an increase of about 350 troops in Baghdad to protect the U.S. Embassy in the Iraqi capital and is sending top officials to the Middle East to “build a stronger regional partnership” against Islamic State militants, the White House said on Tuesday.

The actions reflect the growing U.S. concern about the threat posed by the Sunni Muslim militants who have captured parts of Iraq and Syria, and came on the same day that Islamic State released a video purporting to show its beheading of a second American hostage.

The White House said the additional troops heading to Baghdad would not serve in a combat role.

Rear Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said the move to augment a U.S. force already in Baghdad providing security at the large embassy compound and its support facilities would bring the total number of military personnel to bolster diplomatic security in Iraq to about 820.