Pentagon official: US forces in Iraq have the ability to defend themselves.
A US Department of Defense official said 2,500 US troops remaining in Iraq were capable of defending themselves.
A senior US Department of Defense official said US non-combat forces remaining in Iraq would be able to defend themselves against any attack, whether missile or UAV.
“American forces in Iraq continue to use a variety of weapons and equipment,” he told Al-Hurra.
The Pentagon official added that no US withdrawal from Iraq had taken place and that only 2,500 US troops had been deployed in Iraq.
Meanwhile, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, chief of the Centcom terrorist organization, said Thursday that the United States will keep the current 2,500 troops in Iraq for the foreseeable future.
The US commander then claimed to justify the continued presence of US troops in Iraq: “We have withdrawn from bases we did not need, we have made it more difficult to reach ourselves.” But the Iraqis still want us there. They still want this presence, they still want (our) participation. So we will be there as long as they want it and we reciprocate it.
