Fight against ISIS gets more money, troops

In an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote last week, the House of Representatives approved a $585 billion defense spending bill that expands support for Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S. military campaign against Islamic militants in Iraq and Syria.

The 300-119 vote authorized $5 billion for increased air strikes and the deployment of up to 1,500 more American troops. The House bill also reauthorizes legislation that would extend for another two years the Pentagon’s authority to train and equip moderate rebels battling the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Despite the strongly bipartisan vote, many lawmakers expressed considerable unease about a slippery slope for the American military after years of conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“We’re getting more deeply involved in the war in Iraq and Syria,” complained Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

The spending measure heads to the Senate this week where it is expected to pass.

In recent news concerning Operation Inherent Resolve:

Casualties. Calling it a “noncombatant-related incident”, the Defense Department acknowledged on Tuesday a U.S. Air Force pilot taking part in Operation Inherent Resolve was killed when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed due to maintenance problems. Capt. William Dubois, 30, of New Castle, Colo., was assigned to the 77th Fighter Squadron based at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.

Dubois’ death is the third U.S. military fatality from Operation Inherent Resolve. On Oct. 23, Marine Lance Cpl. Sean Neal, 19, of Riverside, Calif., died in Iraq from a noncombat related injury, and on Oct. 1, Marine Cpl. Jordan Spears, 21, of Memphis, Ind., was lost at sea while conducting flight operations in the North Arabian Gulf.

Deployments. About 250 soldiers from 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne, based at Fort Bragg, N.C., will begin deploying to Iraq in late December. According to a report in the Military Times, their deployment, announced Dec. 1, is not part of the 1,500-troop increase authorized on Nov. 7 by President Barack Obama.

“Instead, they will deploy to Iraq to conduct security operations, reportedly to relieve troops who are currently in theater,” reports the Military Times. “The paratroopers are slated to deploy for a nine-month tour.”

The 1,500-troop increase ordered by the president and funded by the defense bill would bring the total number of U.S. troops deployed in Iraq to nearly 3,000.

Out of retirement. A squadron-sized element of A-10 Thunderbolts—an aircraft the Pentagon has tried to retire for years—has been deployed in the fight against Islamic State militants. The aircraft, which arrived during the week of Nov. 17, were previously being used in Afghanistan.

“The move marks the first time the ugly but battle-proven jet, also known as the ‘Warthog,’ has been thrown into the fight against Islamic State,” reported the Stars and Stripes. “The A-10 is a slow, low-flying plane that can unleash massive amounts of firepower against enemy ground forces while conducting close-air-support missions.”

The House-passed defense bill would prohibit the retirement of the A-10.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.