PROBLEMATIC

Kerry Makes Surprise Trip to Iraq

Iran using airspace to funnel supplies.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made a surprise visit to Iraq on Sunday, emphasizing that the U.S. will not tolerate Iraqi airspace being used for Iran to ferry weapons to the Syrian regime. The move comes as the Obama administration has faced increased calls for intervention in Syria, where the bloody civil war has shown signs of spilling over into other parts of the Middle East and U.S. officials have charged that aid to the rebels has been undermined by Iran. Flights over airspace have been an ongoing source of tension between the U.S. and Iraq, with U.S. officials calling for planes to be inspected in Iraq to ensure they are carrying humanitarian supplies and not weapons.