Qasem Soleimani stated that the US “did nothing” to help the Iraqi army in the battle against jihadists in Ramadi.

Soleimani stated “Mr. Obama, what is the distance between Ramadi and the al-Assad air base where US jets are parked? How can you stay there with the preface that you are protecting Iraqis and do nothing? This is nothing but being an accomplice to a conspiracy”, he accused the US, as the leader of an elite Iranian force responsible for acting outside Iran.

Ramadi fell to ISIS on the 17th of May despite the bombing raids conducted by the US.

Washington D.C. countered with Ash Carter’s statements that “What apparently happened was that the Iraqi forces just showed no will to fight,” Carter told CNN’s Barbara Starr. “They were not outnumbered. In fact, they vastly outnumbered the opposing force, and yet they failed to fight, they withdrew from the site, and that says to me, and I think to most of us, that we have an issue with the will of the Iraqis to fight ISIL and defend themselves.”.