Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan arrived in Baghdad this morning for an unannounced trip, that he said would emphasize the importance of Iraqi sovereignty and broach the issue of the future of U.S. troops in the country. Secretary Shanahan told reporters accompanying him that his trip came ‘at the invitation of the Iraqi government’ with the aim of hearing “first-hand” about “concerns” and “the political dynamics” that they are facing’, which will be taken into account in Washington’s future planning.
The American Defense Secretary further underscored that the Trump Administration’s “interests are to build Iraq’s security capability,” which will provide Baghdad with the capacity to fend-off threats from radical Islamic groups and foreign intervention, including from its malign neighbor, the Islamic Republic Iran.