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BAGHDAD (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry says an "existential threat" in Iraq means the U.S. is prepared to take military action even if Baghdad delays political reforms,.
Speaking in Baghdad, Kerry said the risks of a Sunni insurgency spearheaded by extremists threaten dangers beyond Iraq's borders.
But Kerry said any military action would not be in support of the present Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Kerry warned that the future of the country "depends primarily on the ability of Iraq's leaders to come together and take a stand" against extremists.
Kerry arrived in Baghdad just a day after the Sunni militants captured two key border posts, one along the frontier with Jordan and the other with Syria.
%@AP Links
154-w-36-(Mark Smith, AP White House correspondent, with Secretary of State John Kerry)--Secretary of State John Kerry has been imploring Iraqi leaders to unite in the face of the seizure by Sunni militants of large parts of the country. AP White House Correspondent Mark Smith reports. ((refers to ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which is referred to by some as ISIS (23 Jun 2014)
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164-a-13-(Secretary of State John Kerry, at news conference)-"precursors from Syria"-Secretary of State John Kerry says international teams have finished removing Syria's chemical weapons. (23 Jun 2014)
<<CUT *164 (06/23/14)££ 00:13 "precursors from Syria"
159-a-16-(Secretary of State John Kerry, at news conference)-"days and weeks"-Secretary of State John Kerry says the fate of Iraq could be decided over the next week, and is largely dependent on whether its leaders meet a deadline for starting to build a new government. (23 Jun 2014)
<<CUT *159 (06/23/14)££ 00:16 "days and weeks"
158-a-09-(Secretary of State John Kerry, at news conference)-"of great urgency"-Secretary of State John Kerry says Iraq needs to take action immediately to stop the Islamic militants. (23 Jun 2014)
<<CUT *158 (06/23/14)££ 00:09 "of great urgency"
162-a-10-(Secretary of State John Kerry, at news conference)-"representatives, the Parliament"-Secretary of State John Kerry says all of Iraq's leaders, including the Shiite prime minister, have pledged to get their house in order on time. (23 Jun 2014)
<<CUT *162 (06/23/14)££ 00:10 "representatives, the Parliament"
161-a-11-(Secretary of State John Kerry, at news conference)-"do it quickly"-Secretary of State John Kerry says he stressed to all of the leaders of Iraq's divided politcal divisions the importance of coming together immediately to stop the Islamic militants. (23 Jun 2014)
<<CUT *161 (06/23/14)££ 00:11 "do it quickly"
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