{"id":20654,"date":"2019-12-16T14:23:26","date_gmt":"2019-12-16T14:23:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/12\/16\/esper-asks-iraq-to-help-stop-attacks-on-bases-housing-american-troops\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:12:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:12:53","slug":"esper-asks-iraq-to-help-stop-attacks-on-bases-housing-american-troops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/12\/16\/esper-asks-iraq-to-help-stop-attacks-on-bases-housing-american-troops\/","title":{"rendered":"Esper asks Iraq to help stop attacks on bases housing American troops"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Secretary of Defense Mark Esper asked Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi in a phone call Monday to help stop rocket attacks that have been targeting bases housing American troops, according to a statement from the Iraqi <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pmo.iq\/pme\/press2019en\/16-12-201901en.htm\" target=_blank>prime minister<\/a>\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The call from Esper follows at least 10 rocket attacks that have targeted U.S. bases and interests in Iraq over the last five weeks. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2019\/12\/12\/rockets-land-near-baghdad-airport-iran-backed-militias-approaching-a-red-line-us-official-says\/\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a>-backed militias are believed to be behind a number of the attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A U.S. official told Military Times that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2019\/12\/13\/mattis-says-iran-downing-a-us-aircraft-should-be-met-with-retaliation\/\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a>-backed militias are now using more lethal and longer range 122mm rockets in their attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/12\/13\/pompeo-warns-of-decisive-us-response-if-iran-harms-us-troops-or-allies\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"204\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP19137536084494.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Pompeo warns of \u2018decisive US response\u2019 if Iran harms US troops or allies<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">\u201cWe must also use this opportunity to remind Iran\u2019s leaders that any attacks by them, or their proxies of any identity, that harm Americans, our allies, or our interests will be answered with a decisive U.S. response.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Esper \u201cexpressed his concern over targeting of some places, and the necessity to the need to take measures to stop that,\u201d according to a readout of the call provided by Abdul Mahdi\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Pentagon has yet to release a readout of the call with the Iraqi prime minister\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Abdul Mahdi expressed \u201cconcern\u201d over the rocket attacks but also warned that \u201cunilateral decisions will have negative reactions that are difficult to control\u201d and could threaten the sovereignty of Iraq.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Friday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Iran and its leaders of a \u201cdecisive U.S. response\u201d if the regime or its militias harm American troops or allies in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe must also use this opportunity to remind Iran\u2019s leaders that any attacks by them, or their proxies of any identity, that harm Americans, our allies, or our interests will be answered with a decisive U.S. response,\u201d Pompeo said in a statement on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Operation Inherent Resolve \u2014 the U.S.-led mission to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria \u2014 reiterated it\u2019s forces\u2019 right to self defense following the rocket attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe take the recent rocket attacks in Iraq seriously as do our Iraqi Security Forces partners, who are investigating these events,\u201d OIR said in an emailed statement to Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have made clear that attacks on U.S. and Coalition personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and we retain the right to defend ourselves,\u201d OIR said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday expressed concern regarding the U.S. military\u2019s ability to effectively deter Iran\u2019s malign behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIran should not mistake the United States\u2019 restraint for an unwillingness to respond with decisive military force should our forces or interests be attacked,&#8221; Esper told lawmakers Wednesday on Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-iraq-security-usa\/pentagon-chief-urges-iraq-to-stop-attacks-on-bases-housing-u-s-forces-idUSKBN1YK0YK?utm_source=applenews\" target=\"_blank\">Reuters <\/a>first reported the call between Esper and Abdul Mahdi.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cIran should not mistake the United States\u2019 restraint for an unwillingness to respond with decisive military force should our forces or interests be attacked.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":44983,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":8,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"2":{"categories":["flashpoints","news","left-column","home"],"primary_category":"flashpoints"},"4":{"categories":["flashpoints","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","middle-column","home"],"primary_category":"flashpoints"},"6":{"categories":["flashpoints","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","middle-column","home"],"primary_category":"flashpoints"},"7":{"categories":["flashpoints","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","middle-column","home"],"primary_category":"flashpoints"}}},"categories":[100,8,23,92,25],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3351],"class_list":["post-20654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-home","category-left-column","category-newsletters"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"CEV6KLEA3ZF2XCVOZWGFYBSVVY","arc_canonical_url":"\/flashpoints\/2019\/12\/16\/esper-asks-iraq-to-help-stop-attacks-on-bases-housing-american-troops\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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