1,500 more troops headed to Iraq

President Obama is ordering up to 1,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), bringing the American force to more than 3,000 troops.

{mosads}In a statement issued Friday afternoon, Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said the troops will serve in a “noncombat role, to expand our advise and assist mission, and initiate a comprehensive training effort for Iraqi forces.” 

The troops are heading to Iraq “over the coming months.”

The move is the latest escalation in the U.S.-led fight against ISIS, which has captured large parts of Iraq and Syria.

It would bring the total number of U.S. forces deployed to 3,200. Obama previously authorized 1,600 troops to Iraq in addition to a 100 troops at the Iraqi Embassy with the State Department. 1,400 troops have already been deployed. 

Despite the growing U.S. presence, the president has insisted American forces would not be involved in combat and will only play a training and advisory role.

The move is likely to spark debate on Capitol Hill and raise fears of mission creep. Lawmakers have called for a new authorization of military force against ISIS. It is unclear, though, whether they would take up the matter during the lame-duck session or wait for the new Congress.

Kirby said the recommendation for additional forces was made by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to the president based on Baghdad’s requests, the Pentagon’s own assessment of Iraqi forces and the progress they have made against ISIS.

To pay for the new request, the White House is asking Congress to approve $5.6 billion in funds.

A senior Obama administration official said Friday that they expect Congress to approve the new funding request by the time the current government spending bill expires Dec. 11. 

“Our expectation is this will get resolved in the lame-duck session as Congress resolves spending bills for the rest of the 2015 fiscal year,” the official said. 

The official said this funding request would be separate from any vote lawmakers might hold on the authorization for use of military force. 

The new forces will head to several sites across the country and train 12 Iraqi brigades — nine Iraqi army units and three Peshmerga brigades.

The decision is “in concert” with coalition plans to defend critical areas and “go on the offensive against” ISIS, said the Pentagon. Coalition partners will also take part in the expanded training mission, but their numbers and deployments are being finalized.

The Pentagon has estimated the fight against ISIS has cost an average of $8.3 million a day since Aug. 8, when the U.S. began airstrikes against the group in Iraq. 

On Oct. 28, the Pentagon estimated the total cost to be $580 million since Aug. 8., but the National Priorities Project — a group that tracks federal spending — estimated that the cost of the war had already crossed the $1 billion mark.

The Pentagon has not been clear about the total amount spent on military operations since mid-June, when President Obama first authorized U.S. troops to deploy to the region to help advise Iraqi forces on the Islamic group. 

A September report from the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments estimated the war could cost between $2.4 billion and $22 billion per year depending on a possible escalation.

— Justin Sink contributed.

— This story was updated at 4:11 p.m.