Obama: An additional $200 million for Iraq

The United States is willing to give an additional $200 million to Iraq in humanitarian aid as it battles the Islamic State, President Obama said Tuesday.

US President Barack Obama with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington DC, 14 April 2015. (EPA/MIKE THEILER / POOL)

Women and children are being displaced in the battle between Iraqi and IS forces, and the United States has an obligation to help, Obama said after a meeting with Iraq's new prime minister, Haider Al-Abadi.

Obama also said that Iraqi forces, backed by U.S. air strikes, continue to reclaim land from the Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS. But he said the overall battle will be a long one.

It's the first visit to the White House for al-Abadi since his election as prime minister seven months ago.

Al-Abadi told reporters Monday that U.S. airstrikes and its training of Iraqi forces have helped roll back the Islamic State, but "we want to see more." Facing major budget problems, the Iraq leader is also seeking financial assistance from the United States and international organizations.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday "if there are specific ideas that Prime Minister Abadi has for stepped-up assistance, then we'll obviously consider them seriously."

The White House schedule said the two leaders discussed "a range of issues, including continued U.S. support to Iraq to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL."

Other topics, according to the schedule: "The Government of Iraq's actions to address the needs of the Iraqi people and to strengthen cooperation between all communities in Iraq, and advancing a broad U.S.-Iraqi partnership through expanded political, commercial, and cultural relations under the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement."

The U.S. has been conducting air strikes against Islamic State positions in Iraq and Syria.

Backed by those strikes, Iraq forces and allied Shiite militias recently recaptured the city of Tikrit — the hometown of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein — from Sunni militants. The majority of Iraq's population is Shiite, while Tikrit and Anbar province are dominated by Sunni Muslims.

The administration is more favorably disposed to al-Abadi than his predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki.

While in Washington, the Iraq leader is also seeking financial help his cash-strapped government. He will visit officials with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, as well as congressional lawmakers.

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