US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made an unannounced trip to Baghdad just days before the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq that led to the fall of Saddam Hussein and the subsequent rise of the Islamic State.
Austin arrived in Iraq on Tuesday; He was on a multi-day tour of US partner countries in the Middle East, where he met with civilian and military leaders.
“Wheels to Baghdad. I’m here to reaffirm the U.S- Iraq strategic partnership as we move toward a more secure, stable and sovereign Iraq,” Austin tweeted Tuesday morning.
He was the last in command of US forces in Iraq as of 2021.
Austin met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Iraqi Minister of Defense Thabit al Abbasi.
Austin, after meeting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, said that “US forces stand ready to remain in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government. The United States “will continue to strengthen and expand our partnership for Iraq’s security, stability and sovereignty.
Secretary Austin affirmed U.S. and Coalition commitment to advising, assisting, and enabling the Iraqi Security Forces, at the invitation of the Government of Iraq, to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS.
Austin arrives in Iraq from Jordan, where he meets King Abdullah II. As part of the meeting, they discussed “a number of common concerns, including security in neighboring Iraq, the flow of illicit drugs into the region, Syria, escalating tensions in the West Bank and Jerusalem, and the search for peace between Israelis and Palestinians,” according to the US Department of Defense.
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