Iraq's Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi (L) meets with U.S. Army General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the defence ministry in Baghdad November 15, 2014. Dempsey arrived on Saturday in Baghdad on an unannounced visit to meet U.S. commanders preparing to increase American assistance to Iraqi and Kurdish forces battling Sunni Islamic State (IS) militants. REUTERS/Stringer (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) - RTR4E991

Baghdad struggles in its role as mediator

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Iraq's Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi (L) meets with U.S. Army General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the defence ministry in Baghdad November 15, 2014. Dempsey arrived on Saturday in Baghdad on an unannounced visit to meet U.S. commanders preparing to increase American assistance to Iraqi and Kurdish forces battling Sunni Islamic State (IS) militants. REUTERS/Stringer (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) - RTR4E991

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