US military presence in spotlight after Baghdad meeting
The US military has no orders to withdraw from Iraq, officials say, following meeting of White House Middle East Coordinator with Iraqi Prime Minister.
There was some confusion Thursday about possible plans by the US-led military coalition against the Islamic State to withdraw more forces from Iraq.
Brett McGurk, the White House’s coordinator for Middle East policy, met Thursday with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who heads to Washington later this month. Kadhimi’s office said in a statement that they discussed “mechanisms for withdrawing combat forces from Iraq and moving to a new phase of strategic cooperation” between their countries.
BBC reporter Nafiseh Kohnavard cited anonymous Iraqi officials as saying McGurk relayed a message “that US troops would withdraw from Iraq” in a step-by-step process according to a timeline to be determined during Kadhimi’s visit to Washington.
But two US officials speaking on condition of anonymity denied the report, citing no change in US policy. A third official, also speaking not for attribution, said McGurk’s comments to Kadhimi may have been misconstrued.
