BodyText
Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby lashed
out Tuesday against the tone of some news stories on the air strikes against
ISIS in Iraq and Syria, calling them “shrill and unbalanced.” He specifically highlighted
what he called unsubstantiated claims of civilian casualties and criticism that
the attacks have not stopped some ISIS advances. Speaking to reporters at the
Pentagon Tuesday, Kirby said US Central Command has seen no evidence that
civilians have been killed in the air strikes, but he emphasized the command is
seriously studying the possibility. He noted the care US forces take to avoid
harming noncombatants. “We’re not hiding behind civilians and ducking into
homes and hospitals as these guys (ISIS) are doing,” he said. Kirby conceded
that the 310 total air strikes conducted so far have not eliminated the threat
of ISIS, acknowledging that, “We cannot bomb these guys away.” But he insisted
the attacks have hurt the terrorists’ capabilities, slowed their advances, and
have helped Iraqi and Kurdish forces to regain some ground. Kirby expressed
confidence US air support would allow Iraqi forces to protect Baghdad from
ISIS. He said the fact that US aircraft conducted all 22 strikes Tuesday was a
factor of aircraft availability and not a lack of coalition support.