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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. Nearly two years into his presidency, Donald Trump has made his first visit to a war zone with a surprise trip to Iraq.
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. The unannounced visit a day after Christmas came after the US president faced growing pressure to spend time with troops on the frontline.
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 neighbouring Syria, where they have been fighting Islamic State militants, prompting the resignation of the defense secretary, Jim Mattis.
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. He was accompanied by the first lady, Melania Trump, and national security adviser, John Bolton.
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.” Asked if he had concerns about making the trip, the president told reporters: “I had concerns about the institution of the presidency. Not for myself personally. I had concerns for the first lady, I will tell you. But if you would have seen what we had to go through in the darkened plane with all windows closed with no light anywhere. Pitch black. I’ve been on many airplanes. All types and shapes and sizes.
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. “So did I have a concern? Yes, I had a concern.”
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 spent around three and a half hours at al-Asad airbase in western Iraq but did not visit Baghdad. He met US military leaders and addressed hundreds of troops. A scheduled in-person meeting with Iraq’s prime minister, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, was cancelled.
But he defended his decision to withdraw all 2,000 US troops from Syria. Trump tweeted: “@FLOTUS Melania and I were honored to visit our incredible troops at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.!”
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.” The tweet was accompanied by an 83-second video clip that showed Trump, wearing suit and tie, giving a thumbs-up as he was flanked by Melania and soldiers in helmets and combat fatigues. The video showed him shaking hands, signing autographs and posing for photos, then wearing a green bomber jacket as he addressed troops in a hangar.
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.” In a speech lasting roughly 20 minutes, Trump 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.
“We’re no longer the suckers, folks,” he told the troops. “We’re respected again as a nation.”
Trump continued: “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”. Earlier, Trump took questions from reporters. He described how he gave “the generals” multiple six-month “extensions” to get out of Syria. Trump said of the generals: “They said again, recently, can we have more time? I said, ‘Nope.’ You can’t have any more time. You’ve had enough time. We’ve knocked them out. We’ve knocked them silly.”
The US cannot continue to be the policeman of the world, he added. “In Syria, [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan said he wants to knock out Isis, whatever’s left, the remnants of Isis. And Saudi Arabia just came out and said they are going to pay for some economic development. Which is great, that means we don’t have to pay.
“We are spread out all over the world. We are in countries most people haven’t even heard about. Frankly, it’s ridiculous.”
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 wallDonald 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. 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.
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 the halfway point in his presidency. 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.
Asked why he wanted to come to Iraq, Trump told reporters: “It’s a place I have been talking about for many years, many, many years. I was talking about it as a civilian. ”
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
IraqIraq
Middle East and North AfricaMiddle East and North Africa
US militaryUS military
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