Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 21 February 2017
US Defense Secretary Mattis: US will stay in Iraq a while

tially they were only at the probably smaller bombs
headquarters’ level. that can take out a build-
More recently they have ing or group of militants
been moving closer to the and leave surroundings in-
battlefront, working with tact. Lt. Gen. Jeff Harrigian,
brigade, battalion and the top Air Force com-
sometimes smaller units. mander in the Middle East,
But they are generally with said troops responsible
command and control for calling in airstrikes are
units, not in combat on the closer to the fight and can
front lines. “We embed- move forward with Iraqi
ded advisers a bit further units. They also have great-
down into the formation,” er authority now to speak
directly to pilots in the air-
Townsend said. craft overhead, allowing
Mattis’ unannounced one- them to launch strikes more
day stop in Iraq was his first quickly, he said.
as Pentagon chief and the Military leaders, said Har-
first visit to the warzone by rigian, realized they could
a senior member of the be more responsive now
Trump administration. It because the troops have
comes as Mattis and his built up trust with their Iraqi
military leaders are nearing partners. While Mattis and
U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, center, is greeted by U.S. Ambassador Douglas Silliman as the end of a 30-day review Townsend wouldn’t talk
he arrives at Baghdad International Airport on an unannounced trip Monday, Feb. 20, 2017. Mattis of the Islamic State fight. He about any future changes
said Monday the United States does not intend to seize Iraqi oil, shifting away from an idea pro-
posed by President Donald Trump that has rattled Iraq’s leaders. must send Trump a strategy or accelerants in the war
(AP Photo/Lolita Baldor) to accelerate the battle in fight, various military op-
the next seven days. tions have been discussed
Continued from Front Iraq units as the battle to back eastern Mosul, and is Senior U.S. military officers in recent months. Among
retake western Mosul en- now happening more of- said Monday that the fight them: putting more troops
Townsend also acknowl- tered its second day. ten. U.S. special operations in the more urban, heavily in Iraq and Syria and boost-
edged that U.S. forces are He said the change began forces have been working populated areas of west- ing military aid to Kurdish
now operating closer and in recent months during with the Iraqis, offering ad- ern Mosul will require more fighters backed by the U.S.-
deeper into the fight with the successful fight to take vice and assistance but ini- precision airstrikes and led coalition.q

Pence tries to reassure European leaders shaken by Trump

KEN THOMAS the administration’s strong
LORNE COOK support for the alliance, but
Associated Press warned that Trump wants
BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. Vice to see “real progress” by
President Mike Pence on the end of the year on
Monday vowed to stand boosting defense spend-
with the European Union ing.
and the NATO military al- NATO leaders agreed in
liance, but was met with 2014 that alliance members
some skepticism from lead- needed to start spending
ers shaken by President at least 2 percent of their
Donald Trump’s more criti- gross domestic product by
cal comments. 2024.
European Union Council Only five nations currently
President Donald Tusk said do so: the United States,
he had “open and frank Britain, Poland, Estonia and
talks” with Pence and that Greece.
the bloc would watch Asked what the adminis-
closely to ensure the U.S.
acts on its words of support. tration would do if allies
“I heard words which are failed to meet the defense
promising for the future, spending target, Pence
words which explain a lot United States Vice President Mike Pence, left, shakes hands with EU Council President Donald Tusk said, “I don’t know what the
about the new approach as he arrives at the European Council building in Brussels, Belgium, on Monday, Feb. 20, 2017. answer is to ‘or else,’ but I
Pence is currently on a one day trip to Brussels to meet with EU and NATO officials.
in Washington,” Tusk said. (AP Photo/Thierry Monasse) know that the patience of
“Too many new and some- the American people will
times surprising opinions support. lete and vowing to undo a In a visit Brussels, Pence said not endure forever.”
have been voiced over this Tusk added, “Both Europe- series of multinational trade Trump had asked him “to Pence’s meetings in Brus-
time about our relations — ans and Americans must deals has sparked anxi- express the strong commit- sels were aimed at assuring
and our common security simply practice what they ety in Europe. Trump was ment of the United States European leaders that his
— for us to pretend that preach.” also supportive of Britain’s to continued cooperation words reflected the views
everything is as it used to Trump’s benevolence to- vote last year to leave the and partnership with the of Trump and would not
be,” he said, adding that ward Russian President 28-nation EU, a withdrawal European Union.” easily be swept away at the
Europe was counting on Vladimir Putin and cam- known as Brexit. And he has After talks with NATO Sec- whim of the U.S. president
the United States’ “whole- paign rhetoric that includ- suggested that the EU itself retary General Jens Stol- or undermined by state-
hearted and unequivocal” ed branding NATO obso- could soon fall apart. tenberg, Pence reiterated ments issued on Twitter.q