Iraq, USA discuss joint security cooperation
An aerial view of Pentagon headquarters. Photo: AFP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Minister of Defense, Thabet Al-Abbasi, met on Tuesday with the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., during the inaugural US-Iraq Joint Security Cooperation Dialogue (JSCD), according to a statement issued by the US Defense Department.
The statement illustrated that Austin lauded the JSCD for its importance in advancing an enduring US-Iraq security partnership.
The JSCD builds upon the July 2021 US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue, which reaffirmed commitment to the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement, resulted in the departure from Iraq of US forces with a combat role by December 2021, and led to a full transition of the military mission to training, advising, assisting, and sharing intelligence with the Iraqi security forces, according to the statement.
The statement clarified that Austin reaffirmed the US-Iraq strategic partnership and underscored the US commitment to a secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq.
The US Secretary of Defense praised the tremendous progress made by the Iraqi security forces in the campaign to achieve the enduring defeat of ISIS and underscored his view that the terrorist group remains a threat, as mentioned in the statement.
The statement elaborated that Austin affirmed the United States’ commitment to continue training, advising, assisting, and sharing intelligence with the Iraqi security forces at the invitation of the Iraqi government.
The statement added that the US official also expressed his appreciation for Iraq’s commitment to reducing the number of detained ISIS fighters and displaced persons in northeast Syria and encouraged the Iraqi delegation to continue repatriating, rehabilitating, reintegrating, and, where appropriate, prosecuting Iraqi nationals residing in northeast Syria.