U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, making an unannounced trip to Iraq on Tuesday nearly 20 years after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, said Washington was committed to keeping its military presence in the country. | Reuters
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The United States currently has 2,500 troops in Iraq – and an additional 900 in Syria – to help advise and assist local troops in combating Islamic State, who in 2014 seized swathes of territory in both countries. “I think that Iraqi leaders share our interest in Iraq not becoming a playground for conflict between the United States and Iran,” a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
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