JOC: No American request to stay in Iraq

Baghdad-INA 

The Joint Special Operations Command, said Thursday that the United States did not submit a request for the presence of its combat troops in Iraq, while confirming that the US side is committed to the outputs of the strategic dialogue and that December 31st , is the next deadline for the withdrawal of its combat troops in Iraq .

The spokesman for the Operations Command, Major General Tahsin al-Khafaji, said in a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the Iraqi-US joint committee has begun implementing the outcomes of the strategic dialogue," noting that "the last date for the stay of the US combat forces in Iraq will be December 31, according to what It was agreed upon during the strategic dialogue rounds between the two countries.

Regarding submitting an American request for the combat forces to remain, Al-Khafaji confirmed that “the Iraqi side has not received a request from America to keep its combat forces in Iraq,” noting that “the cooperation between the two countries will be in the field of training and exchange of experiences, and there is ongoing work with America in fighting ISIS through the exchange of intelligence information.” and security forces may need an air support that can be requested from America.".

He pointed out that "the American forces began to withdraw in large numbers in implementation of the outcomes of the strategic dialogue," stressing that "the Americans do not own camps or centers except for a small part at the Ain al-Assad base, which is currently run by Iraqi leadership, in addition to the Harir base, of which the American forces occupy a small part as well. The bulk of it is under the command of the Peshmerga forces in Kurdistan."
He added, "

Earlier, the Iraqi government agreed with the United States of America, today, Thursday, to hold a meeting on ending the military presence at the end of the year.

The media office of the Prime Minister said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the Prime Minister, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, received an American military delegation headed by the Commander of the US Central Command, Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie, accompanied by the American ambassador to Iraq. Matthew Tueller," noting that "the Prime Minister stressed during the meeting the importance of concerted international efforts against the threat of terrorism and extremist takfiri ideology, which threatens the region and the world at large."

Al-Kadhimi added, according to the statement, that "Iraq will remain proud of the victory that is achieved against the most powerful terrorist organizations in the modern era."

PM also indicated that "the initiatives of support and training that Iraq obtained from all of its brothers and friends were a key element in achieving that victory, and in raising the level of capabilities of the security forces in a way that enabled the government to move in its relationship with the international coalition, to the stage of ending combat missions.".

For his part, General McKenzie praised the continuous growth of the capabilities and skills of the Iraqi security forces, and their ability to play combat roles against terrorism efficiently and courageously, with the task of the international coalition moving to advice, training and intelligence cooperation, and noted that "the decrees that took place today, witnessed the handover of the leadership of the coalition." To Major General John Brennan, succeeding Lieutenant General Paul Calvert, is one step towards achieving this transition."

McKenzie stressed that "reducing the level of the US military presence will not weaken the US commitment to the broader strategic relationship with Iraq, in the political, economic, cultural and other fields, as well as the security relationship, according to the outcomes of the strategic dialogue between the two countries."