Defense Secretary Austin makes unannounced visit to Iraq
CBSNov 26, 2022
The Facts
According to the US press pool following Sec. of Defense Lloyd Austin in his unannounced trip to Iraq, he stated on Tuesday that US troops are "ready to remain in Iraq," just days before the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq that ousted Saddam Hussein from power.
This comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani has previously supported allowing the continued presence of US troops, which are reportedly there to train and advise Iraqi forces.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
The nearly 20-year occupation of Iraq must immediately come to an end, especially as the Iraqi Army has shown it is ready to and capable of ensuring the country's security and stability alone. Though the US claims its 2.5K-strong force is present only to advise, mounting tensions between Washington and Tehran risk dragging Iraq into an open conflict. Baghdad has to restore its national sovereignty as soon as possible.
Pro-establishment narrative
The US-Iraq strategic partnership is vital to ultimately defeat IS as well as to ensure the security and stability of the entire Middle East, as Tehran has consistently meddled in Iraqi affairs for two decades to undermine its sovereignty. In addition to closely working with Washington, Baghdad should be also looking into improving relations with other Arab nations to bring prosperity to the country.
