U.S. Defense Secretary makes trip to Iraq

Troop increases?

In addition to having meetings with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and top U.S. military commanders, Carter will host a question-and-answer session with troops stationed in the country.

The message he is expected to be delivering to the region is that the U.S. is going to bring in more resources into the country and is going to accept more risk in the coming days in Iraq, "the resources would likely include "more aggressive" equipment and technology and may include an increase in Apache attack helicopters."

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Joseph Dunford, the country's top military officer, said
"(Carter) and I both believe that there will be an increase to the U.S. forces in Iraq in the coming weeks," he said late last month.

Recently, the U.S. deployed tactical aircraft capable of attacking ISIS's ability to communicate closer to the front lines of the battle.

The U.S. European Command announced a squadron of Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler aircraft has been sent to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey to support operations against ISIS. In addition to intercepting communications by ISIS, the Prowler can protect allied forces on the ground and strike aircraft by jamming any radar and communication devices ISIS has.