US Defense Secretary Esper says NO decision made to leave Iraq

The U.S. has made no decision about withdrawing troops from Iraq, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Monday in response to a letter from a senior military officer that appeared to suggest a withdrawal was underway.

Esper told reporters Monday that the U.S. is not pulling troops out of Iraq.

He said he didn�t know anything about a letter that appears to suggest some preparation of troops to move out of Iraq. But he said there has been some repositioning of U.S. forces.

�There�s been no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq,� he said, adding, �There�s no decision to leave, nor did we issue any plans to leave or prepare to leave.� He said the U.S. remains committed to the campaign to defeat the Islamic State group in Iraq and the region.

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