Pompeo in Baghdad stresses cooperation with Iraq

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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has met top officials in Iraq and the American troops stationed in the country during an unannounced trip to the capital, Baghdad.

Pompeo met Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, President Barham Salih, Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali al-Hakim and Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi.

Pompeo said he was "very happy to be here," in his meeting with Abdul Mahdi, adding that "the timing is good," according to a U.S. media pool report.

A State Department statement said Pompeo had "underlined the U.S. commitment to Iraq's sovereignty ... (and) discussed the recent territorial defeat of ISIL in Syria and the continuation of our cooperation with the Iraqi Security Forces" during his meeting with Abdul Mahdi.

President Salih, answering a reporter's question on whether he wants the United States to keep troops, said Iraq "will need the support of the U.S.," expressing his "gratitude to the U.S. for support over the years."

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali al-Hakim in Baghdad, Iraq, during a Middle East tour, January 9, 2019. /Reuters Photo

"ISIS (ISIL) is defeated militarily but the mission is not accomplished," Salih said.

The United States has kept more than 5,200 troops in Iraq for more than 15 years after its invasion of the country in 2003 which toppled Saddam Hussein. The U.S. military supported Iraq in defeating ISIL in 2017 with air strikes and special forces.

The State Department statement said Pompeo and Abdul Mahdi discussed "U.S. support for Iraq's energy independence," a reference to Iraq's heavy reliance on Iranian gas for its power grid.

Pompeo told a news conference in Amman on Tuesday that the fight to defeat ISIL and Iran remained the most pressing issues in the region.

Pompeo's visit comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, as Washington seeks to counter Iran's sway in the Middle East.

It also comes weeks after President Donald Trump's abrupt announcement that he will pull all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, which caused alarm among U.S. allies in the region.

Trump has not said, however, that he intends to withdraw American forces from Iraq, where 5,200 American troops are stationed.

Trump made a visit to the Al Asad Air Base outside Baghdad on December 26 in the wake of the announcement.

He met with U.S. troops stationed there but not with Iraqi leaders, leading to condemnation from Iraqi political and militia leaders.

A meeting between Trump and Abdul Mahdi was canceled due to a disagreement over the venue, and the men instead spoke by telephone.

(Cover: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with Iraq's President Barham Salih in Baghdad, Iraq, during a Middle East tour, January 9, 2019./ Reuters Photo)

Source(s): Reuters