CNN: US defense secretary makes unannounced trip to Iraq
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said US troops are “ready to remain in Iraq” in his remarks during an unannounced trip to Baghdad on Tuesday, according to the US press pool traveling with him.
Austin, the highest-ranking Cabinet official to visit the country since the start of the Biden administration, according to the press pool, said in a statement that he is in Iraq to “reaffirm the US-Iraq strategic partnership as we move toward a more secure, stable and sovereign Iraq.”
The visit comes days before the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq that ousted dictator Saddam Hussein from power.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: It looks like US soldiers are going to stay in Iraq for the foreseeable future.... Pentagon chief, on surprise trip, says US troops to stay in Iraq (Al Jazeera).
Update: The U.S. Defense Secretary has just arrived in Egypt .... US defense chief: Egypt ties an 'essential pillar' in region (AP).
U.S. Defense Secretary Makes A Surprise Visit To Iraq
Pentagon chief, in unannounced visit to Iraq, pledges continued U.S. troop presence -- Reuters
Pentagon chief in Iraq says US wants to 'strengthen' ties -- AFP
Austin makes surprise trip to Baghdad -- Politico
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin makes unannounced visit to Iraq -- FOX News
US defense chief Austin in Iraq before 20th war anniversary -- DW
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin talks troop presence in surprise Iraq visit -- Al-Monitor
8 comments:
we have troops in soooo many places where our leaders say we just can't pull them out. It seems that what we want to protect in other countries is under constant pressure from whom our leaders feel is our enemies. It seems we are fighting a slow retreat rear guard action and based on our actions with Ukraine, a bit of desperation. we have found a hill to die on.
a family member who is a F16 pilot who was scheduled to go to Korea has changed orders to Saudia Arabia for missions over Syria. Why are we in Syria? I suppose I will need to reference the tv series game of thrones to understand.
* Syria allowed itself to be used as a safe area for Al Qaeda from 2003 to 2011. So we owe them.
* Syria destabilized Lebanon and also was involved in harming American citizens
"Those taking responsibility for the kidnapping used different names, but the testimony of former hostages indicates that almost all the kidnappings were done by a single group of about a dozen men, coming from various clans within the Hezbollah organization.[4] Particularly important in the organization was Imad Mughniyah. Hezbollah has publicly denied involvement. The theocratic government of Iran is thought to have played a major role in the kidnappings, and may have instigated them. The Ba'athist government of Syria is also believed to have had some involvement"
Lebanon is to Syria what Pakistan thought Afghanistan was to it.
* Without the US the Kurds may be massacred. There might be a genocide. Allowing a Kurdish genocide is all well and good, but I do not ever want to hear another complaint about past, current or future genocides.
After a Kurdish genocide, Turkey will focus on another target.
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A good argument against not caring is ... our southern border.
Is the chaos in southern border a stratagem so that people have their hands full that they have no time to object to what The Swamp does in Syria or elsewhere?
In short the southern border chaos may be more than for votes or cheap labor. It might also work as a a distraction.
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Syria gave military aid to Al Qaeda from 2003 to 2011. They allowed jihadis to enter Syria, congregate and then gave them advice on the best routes to infiltrate into Iraq.
We had snipers along the border to shoot and bury them. They would not and did not get all of them.
I don't think the policy makers give a shit about the survival of the Kurds. Our low level, midlevel and some high level soldiers appreciate the Kurds, but I do not think AC/DC cares one wit.
Hell is endlessly carrying out neocon retributions against those with the audacity to oppose their crimes.
^^^ Russian cyber warrior hoping he is good enough at trolling to avoid the trenches.
^^^ Ukie cyber warrior hoping he is good enough at trolling to avoid the trenches. Code name: SKODA
dumb shit cokehead Dubya Bush fucked over both the Iraqi and American people in one war!
8:17 gave me Ukrainian citizenship cool. Now if he could also get me British, French, Spanish, German, Swiss, Saudi, UAE, Japanese, Australian citizenships that would be nice.
8:23 is under the impression that you can lose a war, sign an armistice, violate the armistice egregiously and then not to expect continuation of war. He comes form the dumbfuck school of diplomacy.
Sorry , the national citizenship you requested is not available at this time.
But you can now leave Kiev and feel free to join your buddies at the front.
Diplomacy? What Diplomacy? What armistice?
Is this something the Ghost of Kiev taught you at the ukies troll farm?
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