VP Biden to give major speech on Iraq's future

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden is planning to give a major speech Thursday about the progress that's been made to strengthen Iraq's government and beleaguered military.

Biden will speak at the National Defense University in Washington. That's the same place where President Barack Obama in 2013 laid out his counterterrorism strategy.

The White House says Biden's speech will address the ongoing challenge to defeat the Islamic State group in Iraq and to build a more inclusive government. The address comes the week before Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is to meet with Obama in Washington.

Biden was Obama's point man on Iraq earlier in the administration. His speech comes amid growing concern in the US and abroad about Iran's heavy involvement in the Iraqi fight against Islamic State militants.