The Obama administration is weighing out options to rescue the religious minorities that are currently trapped on Mount Sinjar, according to senior officials. 130 military personnel have been dispatched to Erbil in order to consider these rescue options, reported Fox News.
According to the report, Defense officials have been expressing concerns that airstrikes alone will not have an effective impact on the Islamic State militants.
Ben Rhodes, the Deputy National Security Advisor, explained that the 130 personnel "will make recommendations about how to follow-through on an effort to get the people off that mountain into a safe place."
This rescue plan has been more difficult to organize because the administration forbade the use of ground troops. Hence, Rhodes explained that "both an airlift mission and an operation to create safe passage for the refugees to leave on their own are among the options being considered," according to the Fox News report.
The U.S. has been continuously striving to provide as much help to the Yazidis and other religious minorities in Mount Sinjar as possible. So far, 100,000 meals and 27,000 gallons of water have been given to the refugees through humanitarian airdrops, and the U.K. has been providing additional support as well.
Despite these efforts from the U.S., U.K., France, and other countries to "provide much needed assistance to the Iraqi people," in President Obama's words from his recent statement, the President noted that "there is no American military solution to the larger crisis in Iraq."
"The only lasting solution is for Iraqis to come together and form an inclusive government"”one that represents the legitimate interests of all Iraqis, and one that can unify the country's fight against ISIL," President Obama stated.
He went on. "But just as the United States will remain vigilant against the treat posed to our people by ISIL, we stand ready to partner with Iraq in its fight against these terrorist forces. Without question, that effort will be advanced if Iraqis continue to build on today's progress, and come together to support a new and inclusive government."
