US threatens to bypass Baghdad, arm Sunnis against IS
Congress and the Obama administration are demanding that Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi do more to combat sectarianism.
The United States has put Baghdad on notice that it could lose military support if Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi doesn't do more to integrate Sunnis.
Lawmakers of both parties have run out of patience with Shiite sectarianism that is seen as a major obstacle preventing more Sunni tribes from turning against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS). Their frustration boiled over at a Dec. 1 hearing of the House Armed Services panel during which legislators demanded that the Obama administration turn the screws on Baghdad.
