The Unites States is flying armed drones over Baghdad, a Pentagon official has confirmed to CBS News national security correspondent David Martin. The flights, which are not round the clock, are for the protection of the embassy and are not the precursor to air strikes.
Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said Friday that armed aircraft in Iraq are "primarily for force protection now that we have introduced some military advisers whose objective will be to operate outside the confines of the embassy."
The Pentagon said Thursday that four teams of Army special forces had arrived in Baghdad, bringing the number of American troops there to 90 out of the 300 promised by Obama. The Americans will advise and assist Iraqi counterterrorism forces.
Meanwhile, Iraq's top Shiite cleric on Friday called on political blocs to agree on the next prime minister before the newly elected parliament sits next week, stepping up pressure on political leaders to set aside their differences and form an inclusive government in the face of Sunni militants who have seized large swaths of territory.
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