Iraqi leaders will begin a process Wednesday to select a commander who can serve as a central figure to better organize the various forces fighting Islamic State militants.
U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph Dunford said during Tuesday during a visit to Iraq that the U.S.-led coalition needs one person who can speak with authority on the ground campaign in order to provide better support.
While the coalition has been carrying out airstrikes, a collection of fighters from Iraq's army, Shi'ite militias, Sunni tribesman and Kurdish forces have all been battling the militants in various parts of Iraq with different levels of success. Overall, the Islamic State group has held onto much of the territory it seized more than a year ago.
Dunford said he would not describe the situation in Iraq as a stalemate and would not be discussing specific timelines for the campaign.