BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraq's prime minister on Wednesday appealed for more aid for the country's beleaguered ground forces, which have yet to score a decisive victory against the Islamic State group despite five months of U.S.-led coalition air raids.<br />
<br />
In an interview with The Associated Press, Haider al-Abadi praised the coalition's air campaign but said the international community has stalled on commitments to train and equip the ground forces needed to retake major cities.<br />
<br />
"We are in this almost on our own," he said. "There is a lot being said and spoken, but very little on the ground."<br />
<br />
He spoke as he was leaving for London to take part in a meeting Thursday on the war effort with foreign ministers from about 20 countries, including Arab states. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to attend.<br />
<br />
The United States spent billions of dollars training and equipping Iraq's army during its eight-year intervention, only to see security forces crumble last summer when the Islamic State group swept across northern Iraq, capturing the country's second largest city Mosul.<br />
<br />
The failure of the security forces was largely attributed to the sectarian policies of al-Abadi's predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki. Since assuming office in September, al-Abadi has reached out to the Kurdish and Sunni minorities and sought to revamp the armed forces, but the army has yet to retake much ground.<br />
<br />
President Barack Obama, in his annual State of the Union address Tuesday, pledged to work with Congress on a new authorization for military action against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.<br />
<br />
In November, Obama authorized the deployment of up to 1,500 more American troops to bolster Iraqi forces, which could more than double the total number of U.S. forces to 3,100. None have a combat role.
