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ByJimKuhnhenn TheAssociatedPress TAMPA, FLA. President Barack Obama reaffirmed Wednesday that he does not intend to send U.S. troops into combat against the Islamic State group, de- spite doubts about the abil- ity of Iraqi forces, Kurdish fighters and Syrian rebels to carry out the ground fight on their own. "The American forces do not and will not have a combat mission," Obama told troops at MacDill Air Force Base. It was a firm response to suggestions raised Tuesday by his top military com- mander that under cer- tain circumstances, Amer- ican ground forces may be needed. Obama said U.S. troops "will support Iraqi forces on the ground as they fight for their own country against these terrorists." But, he added, "As your commander in chief, I will not commit you and the rest of our armed forces to fighting another ground war in Iraq." Obama offered a vision of a potent force that can have a major role in con- flicts, a more forceful view than he has embraced be- fore. But he still stressed that for the effort to suc- ceed against the Islamic State group, the U.S. will need to lead the interna- tional coalition and local forces must handle a sig- nificant role. "Frankly, there just aren't a lot of other folks who can perform in the same way. In fact, there are none. There are some things only we can do. There are some capabili- ties only we have," he said. "Our armed forces are unparalleled and unique. So when we've got a big problem somewhere around the world, it falls on our shoulders. Some- times that's tough. But that's what sets us apart. That's why we're Ameri- can." Obama spoke after con- sulting with officers at U.S. Central Command, which oversees American mili- tary efforts in the Middle East. Obama's speech to troops at MacDill Air Force Base was one more chance to try to make the case for the airstrike campaign against the militant group. His meeting Gen. Lloyd Austin, the Central Com- mand head, and other of- ficers took place as Con- gress prepared to vote on Obama's request for au- thority to equip and train Syrian opposition fighters. Lawmakers in both par- ties have raised worries that the U.S. might be un- able to find enough Syr- ian rebels who could be trusted to confront the Is- lamic State group or that their numbers would be sufficient. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a small group of re- porters traveling with him to Paris that about half of Iraq's army is incapable of being an effective partner with the U.S. to push the Islamic State group back in western and northern Iraq. He said the other half needs to be partially rebuilt with U.S. training and additional equipment. Dempsey told senators on Tuesday that if it be- came necessary for U.S. military advisers to accom- pany Iraqi troops into com- bat, he might "go back to the president and make a recommendation that may include the use of ground forces." SPEECH TO TROOPS Obamareaffirmsopposition to sending US troops to Iraq PABLOMARTINEZMONSIVAIS—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS President Barack Obama greets members of the military Wednesday a er speaking at US Central Command (CentCom) at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. THE ASSOCIATED PRESSI Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi speaks during an interview Wednesday in Baghdad. By Vivian Salama The Associated Press BAGHDAD Iraq's new prime minister ruled out stationing U.S. ground troops in his country, chid- ing the international com- munity Wednesday for inac- tion in Syria and lamenting the "puzzling" exclusion of neighboring Iran from the coalition being assembled to fight the Islamic State group. Haider al-Abadi has been embraced by the West as a more inclusive leader who might heal the internal rifts that have dismembered Iraq. But his forthrightness in an interview with The Associated Press — his first with international media — suggested a man capable of parting ways on vision and holding his ground. Al-Abadi praised the U.S. aerial campaign targeting the militants who have over- run much of northern and western Iraq and carved out a proto-state spanning the Syria-Iraq border, say- ing it has helped efforts to roll back the Sunni extrem- ists. But he stressed that he sees no need for the U.S. or other nations to send troops into Iraq to help fight the Is- lamic State. "Not only is it not nec- essary," he said, "We don't want them. We won't allow them. Full stop." Instead, al-Abadi urged the international commu- nity to expand its cam- paign against the extrem- ists in neighboring Syria, noting that militants com- ing under pressure in Iraq are retreating back into Syria. The comments provided a sharp rebuttal to re- marks a day earlier by the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mar- tin Dempsey, who told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Ameri- can ground troops may be needed to battle Islamic State forces in the Middle East if President Barack Obama's current strategy fails. However, on Wednes- day, Obama firmly rejected any suggestion that U.S. ground troops would be sent into combat against the militants. "As your com- mander in chief, I will not commit you and the rest of our armed forces to fight- ing another ground war in Iraq," Obama told troops at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. Iraq premier nixes US ground troops INTERVIEW By David Espo The Associated Press WASHINGTON The Republi- can-controlled House lined up half-heartedly to give the U.S. military author- ity to train and arm Syrian rebels on Wednesday. Officials in both par- ties predicted approval of the plan President Barack Obama requested last week, about two months before midterm elections for con- trol of Congress. But even supporters of the plan found little to trumpet. "This is the best of a long list of bad options," said Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va. Across the political aisle from the president and Pe- losi, Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Major- ity Leader Kevin McCarthy of California swung behind the plan. Yet many mem- bers expressed concerns that it would be insufficient to defeat militants who have overrun parts of Syria and Iraq and beheaded two American journalists. GOP lawmakers took sol- ace in the short-term nature of the legislation. It grants Obama authority only un- til Dec. 11, giving Congress plenty of time to return to the issue in a postelection session. House Republican lead- ers arranged to tack the Obama-sought proposal onto a spending bill needed to keep the government op- erating past the Sept. 30 end of the budget year. Approval would send the overall legislation to the Senate for all-but-certain fi- nal passage. Yet there, seven weeks before the elections, it seemed likely that no sepa- rate yes-or-no vote would be held on Obama's strategy. 'BAD OPTIONS' House set to approve arms for rebels "Our armed forces are unparalleled and unique. So when we've got a big problem somewhere around the world, it falls on our shoulders. Sometimes that's tough. But that's what sets us apart. That's why we're American." — President Barack Obama N EWS D AILY RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY ContactyourDailyNewsadvertisingrepresentative or Daleen Baker at (530) 527-2151 FULL PAGES Published weekly on Wednesdays: October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Fresh, professionally-produced feature content for readers each week including the story of "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" 3 inch (2 column) by 2 inch Sponsor Box Month-long Exposure in Print and Online editions $258 DEADLINE For 5 week run Monday, September 29 Only 15 program support spaces available! Join us in our mission to support "Think Pink" and help to keep the vital importance of early detection top of mind in Tehama County, all month long! | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 8 A