Defense Secretary Ash Carter has said U.S. defense policy officials and military officers are looking for ways to improve and speed up the program to train and equip Iraqi forces.
Carter told reporters on May 28, "One particular way that's extremely important is to involve the Sunni tribes in the fight -- that means training and equipping them."
"I think training and equipment affect the effectiveness of the forces and therefore their ability to operate, and their confidence in their ability to operate," Carter said.
He added that recent events in Iraq have "highlighted the central importance of having a capable ground partner."
The comments come days after Carter publicly chastised Iraqi forces for showing "no will to fight" when IS militants captured the western city of Ramadi last week.