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Dempsey: Some Iraqi troops show up for training ill-prepared

In this Saturday, March 7, 2015 photo, Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi, center, surrounded by soldiers, as they pose for a group photograph at the Iraqi Army headquarters in Samarra, 60 miles (95 kilometers) north of Baghdad, Iraq. Backed by allied Shiite and Sunni fighters, Iraqi security forces on Monday began a large-scale military operation to recapture Saddam Hussein's hometown from the Islamic State extremist group, state TV said, a major step in a campaign to reclaim a large swath of territory in northern Iraq controlled by the militants. (AP Photo) In this Saturday, March 7, 2015 photo, Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi, center, surrounded by soldiers, as they pose for a group photograph at the Iraqi Army headquarters in Samarra, 60 miles (95 kilometers) north of Baghdad, Iraq. Backed by allied Shiite and Sunni fighters, Iraqi security forces on Monday began a large-scale military operation to recapture Saddam Hussein's hometown from the Islamic State extremist group, state TV said, a major step in a campaign to reclaim a large swath of territory in northern Iraq controlled by the militants. (AP Photo)

By Associated Press March 8, 2015 1 min read

ABOARD THE CHARLES DE GAULLE (AP) – The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff says some Iraqi army units in line for U.S.-led training to fight the Islamic State group are showing up ill-prepared.

Gen. Martin Dempsey spoke to reporters Sunday aboard a French aircraft carrier in the northern Persian Gulf, not far from Iran’s coast.

He said he sees no reason to send more U.S. trainers or advisers to Iraq now. And more broadly, he defended the pace of the military campaign.

Dempsey said the advisers now on the ground in Iraq sometimes have to wait for Iraqi army units to show up for training, And he said some units that show up are “understrength and sometimes without the proper equipment.”

He said this is a problem the Iraqi government can fix.