The U.S. Department of Defense and its Iraqi counterpart confirmed in a joint statement yesterday, at the conclusion of the joint security cooperation dialogue held in Washington, their commitment to continue security and military cooperation in all areas, combating ISIS, and training Iraqi military forces.
The joint statement noted that Iraqi Defense Minister Thabit Al-Abbasi discussed a range of bilateral defense issues with U.S. Assistant Defense Secretary Celeste Wallander, in accordance with the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement of 2008, as part of a comprehensive partnership between the two countries.
Both sides emphasized their commitment to developing Iraq's security and defense capabilities and their determination to deepen security cooperation across a full range of issues to enhance the mutual interests of both countries in securing Iraq's sovereignty and regional stability.
They also discussed common challenges and opportunities for cooperation, as well as opportunities to expand Iraqi participation in military training led by U.S. Central Command, along with security cooperation programs, including foreign military financing and foreign military sales.
