{"id":54351,"date":"2021-12-10T01:37:19","date_gmt":"2021-12-10T01:37:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/12\/10\/general-says-us-troops-to-remain-in-iraq\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:08:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:08:19","slug":"general-says-us-troops-to-remain-in-iraq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2021\/12\/10\/general-says-us-troops-to-remain-in-iraq\/","title":{"rendered":"General says US troops to remain in Iraq"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The top U.S. commander for the Middle East said Thursday that the United States will keep the current 2,500 troops in Iraq<\/a> for the foreseeable future, and he warned that he expects increasing attacks on U.S. and Iraqi personnel by Iranian-backed militias determined to get American forces out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie said in an interview with The Associated Press at the Pentagon that despite the shift by U.S. forces to a non-combat role in Iraq, they will still provide air support and other military aid for Iraq\u2019s fight against the Islamic State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noting that Iranian-backed militias want all Western forces out of Iraq, he said an ongoing uptick in violence may continue through December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey actually want all U.S. forces to leave, and all U.S. forces are not going to leave,\u201d he said, adding that as a result, \u201cthat may provoke a response as we get later into the end of the month.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Iraqi government earlier Thursday announced the conclusion of talks on ending the U.S. combat mission against IS. U.S. forces have been largely in an advisory role for some time, so the announced transition changes little. The announcement reflects a July decision by the Biden administration<\/a> to end the U.S. combat mission in Iraq by Dec. 31.<\/p>\n\n\n\t