A divided Iraq tests U.S. influence as fight against Islamic State wanesWASHINGTON (Reuters) - After years of focusing divided Iraq on a shared fight against the Islamic State group, the United States is now straining to leverage its limited influence to avoid a full-blown conflict between the Iraqi and Kurdish forces it has armed and trained. Experts say that a path toward reconciliation, in some form, exists. But it will be a long, arduous test of nerves that could expose the U.S.-backed war effort in Iraq to risks from insurgents and from militia backed by neighboring Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Monday that the United States was not taking sides in the internal conflict between Baghdad and independence-seeking Kurds, as Iraqi government forces captured the Kurdish-held oil city of Kirkuk.  We don t like the fact that they re clashing. We re not taking sides,  Trump told reporters at the White House.   We ve had for many years a very good relationship with the Kurds as you know and we ve also been on the side of Iraq,  he said. That neutral approach met a cool reception from the Kurdish government representative in Washington, Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman. In particular, she said the United States had already helped isolate the Kurds by publicly calling for them to postpone the Sept. 25 referendum on independence that triggered the dispute with Baghdad.  With every step (Washington) emboldened Baghdad, Iran and Turkey ... each one of them thinking:  Well, so the Kurds are on their own, we can do whatever we like ,  she told Reuters. The Iraqi government s capture of Kirkuk was the most decisive step yet by Baghdad to block the Kurd s independence bid. It also put Washington in the awkward position of recognizing the Iraqi government s authority while maintaining ties with its close Kurdish allies. Kurdish Peshmerga forces said Baghdad would be made to pay a heavy price for triggering  war on the Kurdistan people.  U.S.-led coalition military support for Iraqi and Kurdish forces was decisive during the most critical phases of the war against Islamic State. However, Washington s leverage has yet to be fully tested after the recapture of major cities from the militant group. It is unclear, in particular, how much influence the United States has with Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani after already failing to delay the independence referendum, in which the Kurds voted to secede. Paul Salem, from the Middle East Institute think tank in Washington, said Barzani was learning that he had  very few friends and he is a much weaker player  than he thought before the Sept. 25 vote.  (The U.S.) has some leverage,  Salem said. Michael Knights, an expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the United States needed to take steps to avoid alienating the Kurds in the region. Those steps included sending a U.S.-led military coalition officer to a key military base there and pressing for an interim Kurdish governor of Kirkuk.  This would maintain the basic power-sharing compact negotiated by Kirkuk community leaders in 2007,  Knights said. The Pentagon confirmed that U.S. forces had a presence in the vicinity of Kirkuk but declined to say where. Such a presence could help deter further conflict, a tactic it used in Syria to keep Kurds and Turks from fighting each other. The U.S. State Department urged all sides to  restore calm  and warned that the dispute was distracting from the battle against Islamic State, which swept through Iraq in 2014 by  exploiting the country s vast ethnic and political divisions.   We strongly urge all parties to avoid provocations that can be exploited by Iraq s enemies who are interested in fueling ethnic and sectarian conflict,  it said in a statement. Former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, James Jeffrey, said he believed Iran - which backs Shi ite Iraqi militia - was positioned to gain influence because of the Iraqi-Kurdish conflict. He said the United States needed to make certain that Iranian-backed forces don t  surge forward  into the Kirkuk area to challenge Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.  The United States has to make it very clear: We are not going to defend Kirkuk ... but if the Iranian militias move forward, then we will help the Peshmerga,  if necessary, Jeffrey said. Trump unveiled last week a more aggressive U.S. approach to Iran, whose elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps backs the militias in Iraq. Abdul Rahman was wary of Iran s role in the unfolding crisis and criticized the U.S. military s characterization of an exchange of fire early on Monday as a  misunderstanding,  downplaying the loss of life.  I think the U.S. needs to be very, very aware of the statements that it makes and the statements that it doesn t make,  she said. The threat of Iraqi and Kurdish forces turning U.S.-supplied weapons against each other has raised alarms in Congress. Senator John McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, warned Iraq s government of  severe consequences  over any further misuse of U.S.-provided weaponry against Kurdish forces.  The United States provided equipment and training to the government of Iraq to fight (Islamic State) and secure itself from external threats - not to attack elements of one of its own regional governments,  McCain said. worldnews
a divided iraq tests influence fight islamic state waneswashington reuters after years focusing divided iraq shared fight islamic state group united states training leverage limited influence avoid conflict iraqi kurdish forces armed trained experts say path toward reconciliation form exists but long arduous test nerves could expose war effort iraq risks insurgents militia backed neighboring iran president donald trump declared monday united states taking sides internal conflict baghdad kurds iraqi government forces captured oil city kirke we like fact clashing we taking sides trump told reporters white house we many years good relationship kurds know also side iraq said that neutral approach met cool reception kurdish government representative washington bryan sami abdul rahman in particular said united states already helped isolate kurds publicly calling postpone referendum independence triggered dispute baghdad with every step washington emboldened baghdad iran turkey one thinking well kurds whatever like told reuters the iraqi government capture kirke decisive step yet baghdad block kur independence bid it also put washington awkward position recognizing iraqi government authority maintaining ties close kurdish allies kurdish peshmerga forces said baghdad would made pay heavy price triggering war kurdistan people coalition military support iraqi kurdish forces decisive critical phases war islamic state however washington leverage yet fully tested recapture major cities militant group it unclear particular much influence united states kurdish leader masked bargain already failing delay independence referendum kurds voted secede paul salem middle east institute think tank washington said bargain learning friends much weaker player thought vote the leverage salem said michael knights expert washington institute near east policy said united states needed take steps avoid alienating kurds region those steps included sending military coalition officer key military base pressing interim kurdish governor kirke this would maintain basic compact negotiated kirke community leaders knights said the pentagon confirmed forces presence vicinity kirke declined say such presence could help deter conflict tactic used syria keep kurds turns fighting the state department urged sides restore calm warned dispute distracting battle islamic state swept iraq exploiting country vast ethnic political divisions we strongly urge parties avoid provocation exploited iraq enemies interested fueling ethnic sectarian conflict said statement former ambassador iraq james jeffrey said believed iran backs shi ite iraqi militia positioned gain influence conflict he said united states needed make certain forces surge forward kirke area challenge kurdish peshmerga fighters the united states make clear we going defend kirke iranian militias move forward help peshmerga necessary jeffrey said trump unveiled last week aggressive approach iran whose elite islamic revolutionary guard corps backs militias iraq abdul rahman wary iran role unfolding crisis criticized military characterization exchange fire early monday misunderstanding downplaying loss life i think needs aware statements makes statements make said the threat iraqi kurdish forces turning weapons raised alarms congress senator john mccain chairman senate armed services committee warned iraq government severe consequences misuse weaponry kurdish forces the united states provided equipment training government iraq fight islamic state secure external threats attack elements one regional governments mccain said worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: A divided Iraq tests U.S. influence as fight against Islamic State wanesWASHINGTON (Reuters) - After years of focusing divided Iraq on a shared fight against the Islamic State group, the United States is now straining to leverage its limited influence to avoid a full-blown conflict between the Iraqi and Kurdish forces it has armed and trained. Experts say that a path toward reconciliation, in some form, exists. But it will be a long, arduous test of nerves that could expose the U.S.-backed war effort in Iraq to risks from insurgents and from militia backed by neighboring Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Monday that the United States was not taking sides in the internal conflict between Baghdad and independence-seeking Kurds, as Iraqi government forces captured the Kurdish-held oil city of Kirkuk.  We don t like the fact that they re clashing. We re not taking sides,  Trump told reporters at the White House.   We ve had for many years a very good relationship with the Kurds as you know and we ve also been on the side of Iraq,  he said. That neutral approach met a cool reception from the Kurdish government representative in Washington, Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman. In particular, she said the United States had already helped isolate the Kurds by publicly calling for them to postpone the Sept. 25 referendum on independence that triggered the dispute with Baghdad.  With every step (Washington) emboldened Baghdad, Iran and Turkey ... each one of them thinking:  Well, so the Kurds are on their own, we can do whatever we like ,  she told Reuters. The Iraqi government s capture of Kirkuk was the most decisive step yet by Baghdad to block the Kurd s independence bid. It also put Washington in the awkward position of recognizing the Iraqi government s authority while maintaining ties with its close Kurdish allies. Kurdish Peshmerga forces said Baghdad would be made to pay a heavy price for triggering  war on the Kurdistan people.  U.S.-led coalition military support for Iraqi and Kurdish forces was decisive during the most critical phases of the war against Islamic State. However, Washington s leverage has yet to be fully tested after the recapture of major cities from the militant group. It is unclear, in particular, how much influence the United States has with Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani after already failing to delay the independence referendum, in which the Kurds voted to secede. Paul Salem, from the Middle East Institute think tank in Washington, said Barzani was learning that he had  very few friends and he is a much weaker player  than he thought before the Sept. 25 vote.  (The U.S.) has some leverage,  Salem said. Michael Knights, an expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the United States needed to take steps to avoid alienating the Kurds in the region. Those steps included sending a U.S.-led military coalition officer to a key military base there and pressing for an interim Kurdish governor of Kirkuk.  This would maintain the basic power-sharing compact negotiated by Kirkuk community leaders in 2007,  Knights said. The Pentagon confirmed that U.S. forces had a presence in the vicinity of Kirkuk but declined to say where. Such a presence could help deter further conflict, a tactic it used in Syria to keep Kurds and Turks from fighting each other. The U.S. State Department urged all sides to  restore calm  and warned that the dispute was distracting from the battle against Islamic State, which swept through Iraq in 2014 by  exploiting the country s vast ethnic and political divisions.   We strongly urge all parties to avoid provocations that can be exploited by Iraq s enemies who are interested in fueling ethnic and sectarian conflict,  it said in a statement. Former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, James Jeffrey, said he believed Iran - which backs Shi ite Iraqi militia - was positioned to gain influence because of the Iraqi-Kurdish conflict. He said the United States needed to make certain that Iranian-backed forces don t  surge forward  into the Kirkuk area to challenge Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.  The United States has to make it very clear: We are not going to defend Kirkuk ... but if the Iranian militias move forward, then we will help the Peshmerga,  if necessary, Jeffrey said. Trump unveiled last week a more aggressive U.S. approach to Iran, whose elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps backs the militias in Iraq. Abdul Rahman was wary of Iran s role in the unfolding crisis and criticized the U.S. military s characterization of an exchange of fire early on Monday as a  misunderstanding,  downplaying the loss of life.  I think the U.S. needs to be very, very aware of the statements that it makes and the statements that it doesn t make,  she said. The threat of Iraqi and Kurdish forces turning U.S.-supplied weapons against each other has raised alarms in Congress. Senator John McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, warned Iraq s government of  severe consequences  over any further misuse of U.S.-provided weaponry against Kurdish forces.  The United States provided equipment and training to the government of Iraq to fight (Islamic State) and secure itself from external threats - not to attack elements of one of its own regional governments,  McCain said. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: a divided iraq tests influence fight islamic state waneswashington reuters after years focusing divided iraq shared fight islamic state group united states training leverage limited influence avoid conflict iraqi kurdish forces armed trained experts say path toward reconciliation form exists but long arduous test nerves could expose war effort iraq risks insurgents militia backed neighboring iran president donald trump declared monday united states taking sides internal conflict baghdad kurds iraqi government forces captured oil city kirke we like fact clashing we taking sides trump told reporters white house we many years good relationship kurds know also side iraq said that neutral approach met cool reception kurdish government representative washington bryan sami abdul rahman in particular said united states already helped isolate kurds publicly calling postpone referendum independence triggered dispute baghdad with every step washington emboldened baghdad iran turkey one thinking well kurds whatever like told reuters the iraqi government capture kirke decisive step yet baghdad block kur independence bid it also put washington awkward position recognizing iraqi government authority maintaining ties close kurdish allies kurdish peshmerga forces said baghdad would made pay heavy price triggering war kurdistan people coalition military support iraqi kurdish forces decisive critical phases war islamic state however washington leverage yet fully tested recapture major cities militant group it unclear particular much influence united states kurdish leader masked bargain already failing delay independence referendum kurds voted secede paul salem middle east institute think tank washington said bargain learning friends much weaker player thought vote the leverage salem said michael knights expert washington institute near east policy said united states needed take steps avoid alienating kurds region those steps included sending military coalition officer key military base pressing interim kurdish governor kirke this would maintain basic compact negotiated kirke community leaders knights said the pentagon confirmed forces presence vicinity kirke declined say such presence could help deter conflict tactic used syria keep kurds turns fighting the state department urged sides restore calm warned dispute distracting battle islamic state swept iraq exploiting country vast ethnic political divisions we strongly urge parties avoid provocation exploited iraq enemies interested fueling ethnic sectarian conflict said statement former ambassador iraq james jeffrey said believed iran backs shi ite iraqi militia positioned gain influence conflict he said united states needed make certain forces surge forward kirke area challenge kurdish peshmerga fighters the united states make clear we going defend kirke iranian militias move forward help peshmerga necessary jeffrey said trump unveiled last week aggressive approach iran whose elite islamic revolutionary guard corps backs militias iraq abdul rahman wary iran role unfolding crisis criticized military characterization exchange fire early monday misunderstanding downplaying loss life i think needs aware statements makes statements make said the threat iraqi kurdish forces turning weapons raised alarms congress senator john mccain chairman senate armed services committee warned iraq government severe consequences misuse weaponry kurdish forces the united states provided equipment training government iraq fight islamic state secure external threats attack elements one regional governments mccain said worldnews