BAGHDAD, Iraq — The United States rejected a formal request for manned and unmanned air support from Iraqi Prime Minister Nour al-Maliki last month to combat militants since intelligence reports found an insufficient number of American citizens were present to justify such strikes, Duffel Blog has learned.

“It’s not that we don’t want to help,” said Gen. Robert Caslen, who was recalled from his current position as West Point Commandant to handle the discussions with Maliki due to his experience and relationship with him, from when Caslen was director of the Office of Security and Cooperation-Iraq from 2011 to 2013. “It’s just that the proper criteria have not been met by Iraq and we have to abide by those strict rules.”

Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), an al Qaeda-inspired terrorist group, seized Tikrit early this week and are within 100 miles of the capital city of Baghdad. This follows the fall of Mosul late last week, and Ramadi and Fallujah over the last few months.