Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has returned from an Iraq coalition forces meeting in Washington defending the honour of the Iraqi military. New Zealand and Australia forces are helping to train Iraqi forces at Camp Taji near Baghdad. The meeting is the third Iraq-focused planning meeting Brownlee has attended this year. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter hosted the meeting, which was also attended by Iraqi Defence Minister Khalid al-Obeidi. Some people claimed that militia or an elite group of Iraqi forces were doing all the work in retaking Iraq from the hands of ISIS.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 27, 2016 07:07 UTC