wsj | The U.S. since last year has been secretly
flying unmanned surveillance aircraft in small numbers over Iraq to
collect intelligence on insurgents, according to U.S. officials.
The
program was limited in size and proved little use to U.S. and Iraqi
officials when Islamist fighters moved swiftly this week to seize two
major Iraqi cities, the officials said.
Before
the Islamist offensive, the program was expanded based on growing U.S.
and Iraqi concerns about the expanded military activities of al
Qaeda-linked fighters.
Officials
wouldn't say what types of drones were being used but said the flights
were conducted only for surveillance purposes. The program was launched
with the consent of the Iraqi government.
A
senior U.S. official said the intelligence collected under the small
program was shared with Iraqi forces, but added: "It's not like it did
any good." The rapid territorial gains by the Islamist forces loyal to
Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, or ISIS, an al Qaeda offshoot, caught
the U.S. by surprise, the officials said.
Following
the takeover of the two Iraqi cities, administration officials have
asked the U.S. military and intelligence agencies to draw up options
that include limited U.S. military action in Iraq, officials said.
One
of the options being drawn up for the White House would expand the
drone flights over Iraq, a step that could aid Iraqi forces or
facilitate possible U.S. airstrikes.
"They're
looking at everything and anything and have been told explicitly by the
White House to think outside the box of what is possible," a senior
U.S. official said.
