US military consolidates footprint in Iraq amid pressure from Baghdad
The Pentagon's top general overseeing forces in the Middle East, Gen. Frank McKenzie, visited Baghdad this week amid a reshuffle of the US troop presence in the country in coordination with plans to bring in more NATO advisers.
Head of United States Central Command Gen. Frank McKenzie, after meeting with Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Baghdad, told reporters he is “confident” the Iraqi government will request that some US forces remain in the country.
“The government of Iraq recognizes the true value that the coalition brings to the fight against Daesh (another name for ISIS) in Iraq, and I believe that going forward, they're going to want us to be with them,” McKenzie said.
The statement comes as the US and Iraq prepare for another round of dialogue on the future of US troop presence in Iraq, where they have been leading the international coalition against Islamic State since 2014.
McKenzie described an enduring yet perhaps smaller US footprint, adding that the United States may reduce its forces over time "as the Iraqis get better at what they do" and the United States continues to hand off more responsibility.
