President Obama said Monday that Iraqi special forces, backed by American war planes, had retaken a strategically critical dam at Mosul, the latest in what he described as a string of positive steps in halting the march of Islamic extremists across the country. report NYT
“This operation demonstrates that Iraqi and Kurdish force are capable of working together to take the fight to ISIL,” Mr. Obama said in remarks in the White House briefing room, using the acronym for the extremist group, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. ”If that dam was breached, it could have proven catastrophic.”
Still, Mr. Obama said, “This is going to take time; there are going to be many challenges ahead.” He said that the American military campaign would continue for the foreseeable future.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/19/world/middleeast/iraq-mosul-dam.html?emc=edit_na_20140818