US Dismisses Iraq Request to Outline Plan for Troop Withdrawal

U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, assigned to the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command (SPMAGTF-CR-CC) 19.2, provide security at the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq, on Jan. 3, 2020. U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt. Kyle C. Talbot/Handout via Reuters

The United States dismissed a request by caretaker Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi to come up with a plan for withdrawing foreign troops, including American ones, from Iraq.

“America is a force for good in the Middle East. Our military presence in Iraq is to continue the fight against ISIS and, as the Secretary has said, we are committed to protecting Americans, Iraqis, and our coalition partners,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a Jan. 10 statement, referring to the ISIS terrorist group. “We have been unambiguous regarding how crucial our D-ISIS mission is in Iraq. At this time, any delegation sent to Iraq would be dedicated to discussing how to best recommit to our strategic partnership—not to discuss troop withdrawal, but our right, appropriate force posture in the Middle East.”