US General Discuss Future Threat of Isis in Iraq visit
The
general overseeing US forces in the Middle East arrived in Iraq on Sunday,
February 17th, for discussions between US and Iraqi officials expected to focus
on ensuring that the terrorist group Isis cannot return after US troops
withdraw from neighboring Syria.
Although
the US Army General Joseph Votel, head of the US Central Command made no
remarks to reporters upon landing in Iraq, Reuters News Agency reported that he
was expected to get battlefield briefings on the final push to retake the
remnants of Isis that was once vast territory in Syria.
According
to Reuters, Votel was also expected to discuss with officials in Baghdad what
impact the US withdrawal might have on Iraq, where Isis has already shifted to
guerrilla hit-and-run tactics after losing all its territory.
Votel
previously ruled out that President Trump's withdrawal of more than 2,000
troops from Syria would significantly alter US troop levels in Iraq, where the
United States has more than 5,000 forces.
Those
force numbers would stay "more or less steady," he confirmed.
The
US Army General told reporters traveling with him last week that his country will
want to make sure that it gets the right capabilities on the ground to support
the Iraqis going forward. He added: “But I don't necessarily think that will
result in an expanded footprint by the United States or by the coalition
forces".
In
December Trump made a surprise decision to withdraw US troops from Syria that
confounded his national security team and led to the resignation of his defense
secretary, Jim Mattis. It also shocked US allies and sent generals like Votel
scrambling to carry out the withdrawal in a way that best preserves as many
gains as possible.