US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Iraq on Tuesday for an unannounced visit, which an official said was intended to Washington's commitment to maintaining its military presence there, nearly 20 years after the US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
'I am here to reaffirm the strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq as we move toward a more secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq,' Austin said on Twitter after his arrival in Baghdad.
'What (the Iraqis) will hear from him is a pledge to maintain the presence of our forces, but it is not just about the military tool. The United States is very much interested in a strategic partnership with the government of Iraq,' a senior US defense official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
Austin was the last commanding general of US forces in Iraq after the 2003 invasion.
Reuters
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Iraq on Tuesday for an unannounced visit, which an official said was intended to Washington's commitment to maintaining its military presence there, nearly 20 years after the US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
'I am here to reaffirm the strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq as we move toward a more secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq,' Austin said on Twitter after his arrival in Baghdad.
'What (the Iraqis) will hear from him is a pledge to maintain the presence of our forces, but it is not just about the military tool. The United States is very much interested in a strategic partnership with the government of Iraq,' a senior US defense official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
Austin was the last commanding general of US forces in Iraq after the 2003 invasion.
Reuters
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Iraq on Tuesday for an unannounced visit, which an official said was intended to Washington's commitment to maintaining its military presence there, nearly 20 years after the US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
'I am here to reaffirm the strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq as we move toward a more secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq,' Austin said on Twitter after his arrival in Baghdad.
'What (the Iraqis) will hear from him is a pledge to maintain the presence of our forces, but it is not just about the military tool. The United States is very much interested in a strategic partnership with the government of Iraq,' a senior US defense official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
Austin was the last commanding general of US forces in Iraq after the 2003 invasion.
Reuters
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US Secretary of Defense from Baghdad: We are moving towards a more secure, stable and sovereign Iraq
 
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