U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin paid an unannounced visit to Iraq on Tuesday as the 20-year anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein nears.
What Happened: Austin's visit to Baghdad was aimed at showing that the U.S. remains committed to keeping its military presence in the country nearly 20 years after the invasion, Reuters reported.
“I’m here to reaffirm the U.S.-Iraq strategic partnership as we move toward a more secure, stable and sovereign Iraq,” Austin said.
The 2003 invasion killed thousands of civilians and led to instability that eventually paved the way for the rise of militants in the country after the U.S. withdrew its forces in 2011.
Austin, who was the last commanding general of U.S. forces in Iraq after the invasion, is one of the most senior officials of the President Joe Biden-led administration to visit the Middle Eastern nation.
The U.S. currently has 2,500 troops in Iraq and about 900 in Syria to help advise and assist local troops in combating militants — who in 2014 seized swathes of territory in both countries.
“What (Iraqis) will hear from him is commitment to retaining our force presence, but it’s not just about the military instrument. The United States is broadly interested in a strategic partnership with the government of Iraq,” a senior U.S. defense official told the publication on the condition of anonymity.
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