U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Iraq on an unannounced visit from Jordan, aiming to demonstrate Washington's commitment to maintaining its military presence there nearly 20 years after the U.S.-led invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein in 2003.
Following his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Austin stated that U.S. forces are prepared to remain in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government. He noted that the purpose of this visit is to "reaffirm the strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq as we move toward a more secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq." He emphasized the U.S.'s continued efforts to strengthen and expand the partnership to support Iraq’s security, stability, and sovereignty.
Reuters quoted a Pentagon official stating, "I believe the Iraqi leaders have the same interest as us in not allowing Iraq to become a battlefield between America and Iran." The agency also reported that former officials and experts mentioned one of the objectives of the U.S. Defense Secretary's visit is to support the Iraqi Prime Minister in countering Iranian influence in the country.
Austin's visit to Iraq included a meeting with the President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, amid a long-standing dispute over budget transfers and oil revenue sharing between the Baghdad and Kurdistan governments.
It is worth noting that Secretary Austin is the highest-ranking official in President Joe Biden's administration to visit Iraq, and he was the last commanding officer of U.S. forces in Iraq after the invasion. The U.S. currently has 2,500 troops in Iraq and an additional 900 troops in Syria to assist Kurdish forces in combatting ISIS.
