By David Martosko, U.s. Political Editor, MailOnline President Barack Obama warned on Monday that the U.S. military's missions in Iraq, while limited, will remain an open-ended campaign at least until newly minted Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has established an 'inclusive government' that can appeal to his nation's warring religious and ethnic sects. Asked if he worried about 'mission creep' growing out of an offensive that has seen 68 airstrikes to date, Obama replied that he refuses to be pinned down to a timetable. 'I don't think ... at this point, that I'm prepared to provide a blanket answer to that,' he told reporters at the White House. 'A lot of it depends on how effectively the Iraqi government comes together.'
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Asked about a timetable, Obama said 'I don't think ... at this point, that I'm prepared to provide a blanket answer'
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Pentagon said Monday that US forces have conducted 68 airstrikes in Iraq since August 8 but sources tell MailOnline the number stands at 72
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Obama emphasized an 'international coalition' aimed at supporting an 'inclusive government'
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Catering to Sunnis along with Shias and Kurds, he said, will give Sunni tribesmen a reason to turn their backs on ISIS terrorists
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'We've made significant progress on that front, but we're not there yet'
'I have been firm from the start that we are not reintroducing thousands of @placeholder troops back on the ground to engage in combat,' he said Monday.