Iraq and Iran push back on Carter over Ramadi loss

Iraq and Iran pushed back today against US Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s criticisms over the fall of Ramadi to the Islamic State group, with an Iranian general going as far as saying America had “no will” to fight the extremists.

In Baghdad, a spokesman for Iraq’s prime minister suggested Carter had “incorrect information,” while Gen. Qassim Soleimani, the head of the elite Quds forces in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, offered his own assessment of American forces. The war of words over the loss of Ramadi, amid other gains by the Islamic State group in recent days, lay bare the fissures among countries that have become allies of convenience against the militants. And as Iraqi troops continue to flee their advance, governments across the world are questioning whether relying on Iraqi troops and militiamen on the ground alone will be enough to stop them.

The criticism began on Sunday, when Carter told CNN’s “State of the Union” news show that Iraqi forces “vastly outnumbered” the Islamic State group, but still “showed no will to fight” and fled their advance on Ramadi. On Monday, Saad al-<g data-gr-id="18">Hadithi</g>, a spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, said his government was surprised by Carter’s comments.

“Carter was likely given incorrect information because the situation on <g data-gr-id="14">ground</g> is different,” al-<g data-gr-id="13">Hadithi</g> told The Associated Press. “We should not judge the whole army based on one <g data-gr-id="23">incident.</g>”