Kerry on unannounced visit to Baghdad

US Secretary of State John Kerry stopped off in Baghdad Wednesday for talks with new Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, on his way to woo Arab leaders to join the coalition for fighting the Islamic State which President Barack Obama is due to unveil Wednesday night. DEBKAfile: Kerry finds PM al-Abadi in a fix. He has been unable to appoint defense and interior ministers to his new government and so there is no one to lead the Iraqi army into battle against the Islamist State. Kerry will lead a meeting in Jeddah of moderate Arab and Gulf foreign ministers to discuss their role in Obama’s plan.