Wednesday, July 16, 2025
  • About us
    • Write for us
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
  • RSS Feeds
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
DefenceTalk
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
DefenceTalk
No Result
View All Result
Home Defence & Military News Army News

US military has no plans to leave Iraq, Pentagon says after letter ‘mistake’

by Editor
January 6, 2020
in Army News
2 min read
0
US military has no plans to leave Iraq, Pentagon says after letter ‘mistake’
33
SHARES
14
VIEWS

US Defence Secretary Mark Esper denied Monday that US forces would pull out of Iraq, after a US general’s letter told the Iraqi government that troops were preparing to depart “in due deference to the sovereignty” of the country.

“There is no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq… There has been no decision made to leave Iraq. Period,” Esper said, one day after the Iraqi parliament voted in favor of ordering the US military out.

“That letter is inconsistent with where we are right now,” Esper added.

Pentagon Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley said Monday the letter was “genuine” but not intended to be sent at this time.

“This was a mistake from McKenzie,” Milley told reporters, referring to US Central Command commander General Frank McKenzie.

“It shouldn’t have been sent,” Milley said.

Earlier, the US military had appeared to inform its counterparts in Baghdad on Monday it was preparing for “movement out of Iraq,” a day after the Iraqi parliament urged the government to oust foreign troops.

The head of the US military’s Task Force Iraq, Brigadier General William Seely, had sent a letter to the head of Iraq’s joint operations command, a copy of which was seen by AFP.

The letter said forces from the US-led coalition in Iraq would “be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement”.

“In order to conduct this task, Coalition Forces are required to take certain measures to ensure that the movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner,” said the letter, dated Monday.

As the letter was signed by a US official, it was not immediately clear whether it applied to forces from the 76 countries which make up the international coalition.

A US defence official and an Iraqi defence official confirmed the letter was real and had been delivered.

It said helicopters would be travelling in and around the Green Zone as part of the preparations.

AFP could hear helicopters flying low over Baghdad throughout the night on Monday.

Some 5,200 US soldiers are stationed across Iraqi bases to support local troops preventing a resurgence of the Islamic State group.

They make up the bulk of the broader coalition, invited by the Iraqi government in 2014 to help combat the jihadists.

On Sunday, Iraq’s parliament voted in favour of rescinding that invitation and ousting all foreign troops.

It came in reaction to a US precision drone strike on Baghdad that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and top Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, among others.

On Monday, Iraqi premier Adel Abdel Mahdi met with the US Ambassador Matthew Tueller, telling him it was “necessary to work together to withdraw foreign forces from Iraq”.

Tags: iranusairaqUS militarywarworld war III
Previous Post

America’s long tug of war over presidential military power

Next Post

SpaceX launches third batch of Starlink satellites

Related Posts

Indonesia Orders Additional CAESAR Artillery Systems

France to send more mobile artillery to Ukraine

February 1, 2023

France will ship 12 more Caesar truck-mounted howitzers and fresh air defence equipment to Ukraine to bolster the fight against...

Leopard tanks to arrive in Ukraine around late March: Germany

Leopard tanks to arrive in Ukraine around late March: Germany

January 27, 2023

Leopard tanks pledged by Germany to help Ukraine repel Russia's invasion will arrive in "late March, early April", Defence Minister...

Next Post
SpaceX launches third batch of Starlink satellites

SpaceX launches third batch of Starlink satellites

Latest Defense News

Britain, Germany jointly developing missiles: ministers

Britain, Germany jointly developing missiles: ministers

May 17, 2025
Trump announces ‘full and immediate’ India-Pakistan ceasefire

Trump announces ‘full and immediate’ India-Pakistan ceasefire

May 10, 2025
Pakistan says Indian missiles strike air bases as conflict spirals

Pakistan says Indian missiles strike air bases as conflict spirals

May 10, 2025
J-10C fighter jet

Pakistan says India has brought neighbours ‘closer to major conflict’

May 9, 2025
North Korea fires multiple suspected cruise missiles

North Korea fires flurry of short-range ballistic missiles

May 9, 2025
China says ‘closely watching’ Ukraine situation after Russian attack

China vows to stand with Russia in face of ‘hegemonic bullying’

May 9, 2025

Defense Forum Discussions

  • The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread
  • USAF News and Discussion
  • Royal Netherlands Navy
  • Indian Military Aviation; News, Updates & Discussions
  • Russia - General Discussion.
  • Russian Air Force News & Discussion
  • Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0
  • US Navy News and updates
  • General Aviation Thread
  • Indonesian Aero News
DefenceTalk

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com

Navigate Site

  • Defence Forum
  • Military Photos
  • RSS Feeds
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com