Administration tells Congress it will go slow on airstrikes
Administration officials tell congressional leaders they are studying options in Iraq.
The Obama administration on Wednesday sought to temper lawmakers' expectations for a quick military response in Iraq while rejecting calls to oust Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey fielded numerous questions about plans for Iraq during a Senate hearing on the FY2015 Defense spending bill.
Officials also briefed the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees in closed session, while President Barack Obama met with House and Senate leaders later in the afternoon.
Dempsey reassured lawmakers that "I share alarm about the future of Iraq" and said the administration is "developing a full range of options to stabilize the region."
