Obama could deploy U.S. military advisers to forward positions in Iraq: White House

Reuters
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks after a military briefing at U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, September 17, 2014. REUTERS/Larry Downing

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) - President Barack Obama would consider requests to "forward deploy" U.S. military advisers with Iraqi troops "on a case-by-case basis" if they are needed, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Wednesday. "They would not be personally or directly engaging the enemy," Earnest told reporters traveling back from Tampa with Obama. (Reporting by Jeff Mason, Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Sandra Maler)