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| Trump makes unannounced visit to US troops in Iraq | Trump makes unannounced visit to US troops in Iraq |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Donald Trump has made his first visit to a war zone with a surprise trip to Iraq one day after Christmas. | Donald Trump has made his first visit to a war zone with a surprise trip to Iraq one day after Christmas. |
| The unannounced visit, which lasted around three hours, came after the US president faced growing pressure to spend time with troops stationed in the Middle East. | |
| It also comes a week after the president stunned his national security advisers by announcing that he would withdraw US troops from neighboring Syria, where they have been fighting Islamic State militants, prompting the resignation of the defense secretary, Jim Mattis, last week. | It also comes a week after the president stunned his national security advisers by announcing that he would withdraw US troops from neighboring Syria, where they have been fighting Islamic State militants, prompting the resignation of the defense secretary, Jim Mattis, last week. |
| Trump made the secret 11-hour flight on Air Force One with lights off and window shades drawn plus military jet escorts, according to the Associated Press, which noted: “He says he’s never seen anything like it.” | Trump made the secret 11-hour flight on Air Force One with lights off and window shades drawn plus military jet escorts, according to the Associated Press, which noted: “He says he’s never seen anything like it.” |
| White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted: “President Trump and the First Lady traveled to Iraq late on Christmas night to visit with our troops and Senior Military leadership to thank them for their service, their success, and their sacrifice and to wish them a Merry Christmas.” | White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted: “President Trump and the First Lady traveled to Iraq late on Christmas night to visit with our troops and Senior Military leadership to thank them for their service, their success, and their sacrifice and to wish them a Merry Christmas.” |
| The tweet was accompanied by a photo of Trump and the First Lady, Melania, posing with around 15 military personnel. Other photos showed Trump posing for selfies with soldiers. | The tweet was accompanied by a photo of Trump and the First Lady, Melania, posing with around 15 military personnel. Other photos showed Trump posing for selfies with soldiers. |
| The president spoke at Al Asad airbase in western Iraq to American servicemen and women and reportedly said he has “no plans at all” to remove American troops from the country. | The president spoke at Al Asad airbase in western Iraq to American servicemen and women and reportedly said he has “no plans at all” to remove American troops from the country. |
| But he defended his decision to withdraw all 2,000 US troops from Syria. | But he defended his decision to withdraw all 2,000 US troops from Syria. |
| In a speech lasting roughly 20 minutes, Trump reportedly told troops: “We’re no longer the suckers, folks. We’re respected again as a nation.” | In a speech lasting roughly 20 minutes, Trump reportedly told troops: “We’re no longer the suckers, folks. We’re respected again as a nation.” |
| Defending his Syria decision, he said: “I made it clear from the beginning that our mission in Syria was to strip Isis of its military strongholds. Eight years ago, we went there for three months and we never left. Now, we’re doing it right and we’re going to finish it off.” | Defending his Syria decision, he said: “I made it clear from the beginning that our mission in Syria was to strip Isis of its military strongholds. Eight years ago, we went there for three months and we never left. Now, we’re doing it right and we’re going to finish it off.” |
| Though Isis has lost a significant amount of territory in Iraq and Syria, it is still seen as a threat. | Though Isis has lost a significant amount of territory in Iraq and Syria, it is still seen as a threat. |
| Trump argued that the US presence was never intended to be “open-ended” and that Turkey has agreed to eliminate remnants of the Isis terror group still remaining in the country. | Trump argued that the US presence was never intended to be “open-ended” and that Turkey has agreed to eliminate remnants of the Isis terror group still remaining in the country. |
| Trump told reporters traveling with him that, if needed, the US can attack Isis “so fast and so hard” that they “won’t know what the hell happened”. | Trump told reporters traveling with him that, if needed, the US can attack Isis “so fast and so hard” that they “won’t know what the hell happened”. |
| Trump had planned to spend Christmas at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, but stayed behind in Washington due to a partial government shutdown prompted by a stalemate between him and congressional Democrats over his demand for a wall along the US-Mexico border. | Trump had planned to spend Christmas at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, but stayed behind in Washington due to a partial government shutdown prompted by a stalemate between him and congressional Democrats over his demand for a wall along the US-Mexico border. |
| Donald Trump insists shutdown will not end unless Congress funds border wall | |
| Fifteen years after the 2003 invasion, America still has more than 5,000 troops in Iraq supporting the government as it continues the fight against remaining pockets of resistance by the Islamic State group. Iraqi prime minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi recently said Iraqi troops could deploy into Syria to protect Iraq from threats across its borders. | |
| The Pentagon is also said to be developing plans to withdraw up to half of the 14,000 American troops still serving in Afghanistan. | The Pentagon is also said to be developing plans to withdraw up to half of the 14,000 American troops still serving in Afghanistan. |
| Trump, who speaks often about his support for the US military, had faced criticism for not yet visiting US troops stationed in harm’s way as he approaches his two-year mark in office. He told the Associated Press in an interview in October that he “will do that at some point, but I don’t think it’s overly necessary”. | Trump, who speaks often about his support for the US military, had faced criticism for not yet visiting US troops stationed in harm’s way as he approaches his two-year mark in office. He told the Associated Press in an interview in October that he “will do that at some point, but I don’t think it’s overly necessary”. |
| Trump’s visit marks the sixth time that a US president has visited Iraq. | Trump’s visit marks the sixth time that a US president has visited Iraq. |
| George W Bush went to Iraq in November 2003, about eight months after that conflict began. Due to security concerns, Bush waited until 2006 to make his first visit to Afghanistan. Barack Obama visited Iraq in April 2009 as part of an overseas tour and went to Afghanistan in 2010. | George W Bush went to Iraq in November 2003, about eight months after that conflict began. Due to security concerns, Bush waited until 2006 to make his first visit to Afghanistan. Barack Obama visited Iraq in April 2009 as part of an overseas tour and went to Afghanistan in 2010. |
| The vice-president, Mike Pence, visited Afghanistan in December 2017, soon after Trump outlined a strategy to break the impasse in America’s longest war. | The vice-president, Mike Pence, visited Afghanistan in December 2017, soon after Trump outlined a strategy to break the impasse in America’s longest war. |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| Iraq | Iraq |
| Middle East and North Africa | Middle East and North Africa |
| US military | US military |
| news | news |
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