{"id":61012,"date":"2018-08-20T17:16:06","date_gmt":"2018-08-20T17:16:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/08\/20\/us-to-remain-in-iraq-as-long-as-needed-command-says\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:50:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:50:49","slug":"us-to-remain-in-iraq-as-long-as-needed-command-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2018\/08\/20\/us-to-remain-in-iraq-as-long-as-needed-command-says\/","title":{"rendered":"US to remain in Iraq \u2018as long as needed,&#8217; command says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. advisers now in Iraq will stay \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2018\/08\/14\/un-report-up-to-30000-islamic-state-members-in-iraq-syria\/\" target=_blank>as long as needed<\/a>\u201d to ensure the Islamic State does not regain strength and to assist in Iraq stabilization efforts, a top spokesman for the U.S. and coalition effort said Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. advisers now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2018\/03\/27\/us-coalition-want-to-shrink-role-in-iraq-but-isis-fighters-linger-in-the-desert\/\" target=_blank>assist Iraqi security forces in cleaning up the remaining remnants <\/a>of ISIS in Iraq, particularly in Anbar province were small pockets of the organization are still targeting local infrastructure.<\/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\/news\/your-military\/2018\/07\/24\/defeat-of-isis-in-syria-just-2-3-months-away-commander-says\/\" 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=\"199\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4571553.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\">Defeat of ISIS in Syria just 2 to 3 months away, commander says<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">ISIS is down to its last few hundred fighters in Syria, coalition says.<\/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\">The U.S. and coalition forces are also involved in stabilization efforts, including assisting in the resettlement of formerly displaced Iraqi civilians and in using the military\u2019s vast logistics and planning resources to help get civil infrastructure up and running again in cities devastated by their former ISIS occupants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Army Col. Sean Ryan, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, said during a news conference in Abu Dhabi that those efforts would continue and the stabilization was \u201cone of the reasons we\u2019ll maintain a presence,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-usa\/u-s-forces-to-stay-in-iraq-as-long-as-needed-spokesman-idUSKBN1L408A?il=0\" target=\"_blank\">Reuters reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/41872439555_7e42a436af_h.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-95506\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/41872439555_7e42a436af_h.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/41872439555_7e42a436af_h.jpg.jpg?resize=300,157 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/41872439555_7e42a436af_h.jpg.jpg?resize=768,402 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/41872439555_7e42a436af_h.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,536 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. soldiers fire artillery alongside Iraqi Security Forces artillery at known ISIS locations near the Iraqi-Syrian border, June 7, 2018. Iraqi Security Forces and coalition partners provided fire support to assist the Syrian Democratic Forces as they continued Operation Roundup, the military offensive to rid the final pockets of the terrorist organization from the Middle Euphrates River Valley in Syria. (Spc. Anthony Zendejas IV\/Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Monday, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Rob Manning reiterated those comments, saying the 5,200 service members the U.S. reports it has in Iraq, and the 2,000 in Syria will remain unchanged. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2018\/04\/09\/dod-strips-iraq-afghanistan-syria-troop-numbers-from-web\/\" target=_blank>Pentagon does not report publicly<\/a> how many troops it actually accounts for in either country, saying that to do so would put troops at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe coalitions presence is designed to meet our partner\u2019s support requirement. We have what we need and we\u2019ll take forces out of theater when the job is done,\u201d Manning told reporters at the Pentagon Monday.<\/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\/news\/2018\/08\/20\/one-coalition-service-member-killed-after-aircraft-crash-in-iraq\/\" 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=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635575181887902322-january-22-frontlines-5jpg.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\">One US service member killed in aircraft crash in Iraq<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">One service member within the Operation Inherent Resolve coalition to defeat the Islamic State was killed and several more were injured when their aircraft crashed Sunday night in Iraq.<\/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\">The military\u2019s mission in Iraq is now directed by the Iraqi government, which requested additional NATO forces to assist in training earlier this year. NATO approved the request in July and is sending 500 troops who will be led by a Canadian general.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The U.S. forces now helping keep patches of ISIS under control and assist in stabilization will stay &#8220;until job is done,&#8221; US 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