@ungrexx rt tfte lflniteh Stutex ffiux[iugtrrn, B@ 2[515 July 8,2015 President Barack Obama The W4rite House 1600 Pennsyh.ania Ar.enue NW \X/ashington, DC 20500 Deat Ptesident Obama: Recent setbacks in the fight against the Islamic State of Itaq and the Levant (ISIL) have led to calls for a substantiall,v incteased U.S. commitment in Iraq, including the deplovmeflt of thousands of Amedcan troops and the use of our ground forces in combat roles. \)fle writc to urge vou to reject these misguided appeals. ISIL poses a dire thteat to our allies in the region and is tesponsible for the gruesome deaths of innocent Americans. The organizatton has also killed untold numbets of S1,fi2n and ltaqi cir.ilians, systematicallv tatgeted ethnic minotities and engaged in shocking human dghts abuses. For these reasons, it is cetainly in out national intetest to halt ISIL's advance, and to that end, your administtation has assembled a broad allied coaLition totaling more than 60 nations committed to doing so. Yet, as you have tepeatedly stated, we canflot fight the Iraqi military's batdes for them. "Airstdkes ate effective," Secretary of Defense Ashton Cartet said recentl1,, "but neither they not anvthing we do can substitute for the Itaqi fotces' will to fight." We sttongly agree. While the Iraqi military and the Itaqi people desen e out support in this sttuggle, an enduring victory over ISIL will onlr. be possible if they demonsttate a rcal and lasting commitment to defeat our mutual foe. If we fight in thek stead, our success with be tempotan' and out gains will be ftagile. Yout r\dministration is cuttentlv reviewing U.S. military options in this conflict and has recently announced the deplovment of up to 450 additional personnel to assist in training Iraqi forces. We recognize that better training and diffetent tactics may be required to turn the tide in Iraq. However, u,'hile'nve encoufage you to teexamine the U.S. goyernmeflt's approach, rve strongly ufge vou to remaj.n ltm in rejecting calls for a substantial American gtound combat commitment in the fight against ISIL. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER