Unrest continues in Iraq; War veteran shares his thoughts - WBRC FOX6 News - Birmingham, AL

Despite the growing unrest in Iraq, President Obama says the United States doesn't have any plans to put boots on the ground there to fight the militant group the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. That group has taken over much of northern Iraq and has its eyes set on Baghdad.
 
"We will not be sending US troops back into combat in Iraq," President Obama said Friday on the south lawn of the White House.
 
"I'm against another all-out conflict over there," Matthew Ransom, a local Iraq war veteran said.
 
Ransom knows all too well the struggles in Iraq. He served two tours there as an Army medic. Ransom says the Iraqi military was properly trained by the U.S., but believes they don't have much leadership.
 
"There's no support there. We trained them. We showed them how to lead and now they're in a scrimmage where obviously they're not doing very well," Ransom said. "I know they are a sovereign country, but they obviously need more help."
 
Ransom said if Iraq doesn't want to fight for democracy, then it could eventually fall and possibly become a major hot bed of terrorist activity.
 
"If that happens, then it's just going to one gigantic militant state which isn't good for our interests or anybody's interests. Which means we would eventually end up having to go back over there," Ransom said.
 
Ransom doesn't believe the U.S. should let the Iraqis fight by themselves. He thinks our military should assist them with strategies to help fight the growing enemy.

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