US President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Iraq on Wednesday to meet with American troops to thank them for their service.
Air Force One flew overnight from Washington, landing at an airbase west of Baghdad under the cover of darkness Wednesday evening. It is his first visit with troops stationed in the region.
Fifteen years after the 2003 invasion, the US still has more than 5,000 troops in Iraq supporting the government as it continues the fight against remaining pockets of resistance by the ISIS terrorist group. ISIS has lost a significant amount of territory in Iraq and Syria but is still seen as a threat.
Last week, Trump stunned his national security advisers by announcing that he would withdraw US troops from neighboring Syria where they have been fighting ISIS. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis abruptly resigned following the announcement, and Trump's decision rattled allies around the world, including in Iraq.
"I think a lot of people are going to come around to my way of thinking. It's time for us to start using our head," the president told reporters at the Al Asad Air Base west of Baghdad where he and first lady Melania Trump spent three hours on the ground with US troops.
Trump also said the United States had no plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq, adding, “In fact we could use this as the base if we wanted to do something in Syria."
He indicated he would not rush to nominate a new secretary to replace Mattis.
