ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States’ only purpose in Iraq is its focus on ensuring the defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS), said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin following his arrival in the capital Baghdad on Tuesday, as the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq approaches. Austin is currently on a multi-day tour to Washington partner nations in the Middle East. He kicked off his tour in Jordan on Sunday, meeting with King Abdullah II. The purpose of the defense chief’s visit is to emphasize US’ continued commitment to their partners in the region, according to the Pentagon. After landing in Baghdad, the Austin met with Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and Defense Minister Thabet Muhammad al-Abbasi, reiterating Washington’s commitment to assisting Iraq in eliminating the threat of ISIS. “We are focused on the mission of defeating Daesh [ISIS]. We are here for no other purpose,” said Austin in a press conference in Baghdad, adding that US troops are ready to remain Iraq upon the invitation of the government. Austin is also set to visit the Kurdistan Region’s capital of Erbil later in the day where he will meet with the Kurdistan Region's President and Commander-in-Chief of the Region's Armed Forces Nechirvan Barzani. The global coalition against ISIS was formally established in October 2014, after ISIS took control of vast swathes of territories in Iraq and Syria. Consisting of 79 nations and five international organizations, the US-led coalition seeks to ensure ISIS’ “enduring defeat.” The US security relationship with Iraq fully transitioned into an advising and assisting role in December 2021. There are currently about 2,500 US troops in Iraq, including in the Kurdistan Region.
