NATO has pulled several hundred personnel out of Iraq as the Iran war rages on, the alliance said in a statement Friday.
The last of the personnel from the group, known as NATO Mission Iraq, left Iraq on Friday, the alliance said. The personnel come from NATO allies as well as from partner countries Austria and Australia. The withdrawal follows attacks from Iran on British, French and Italian bases in Iraq.
The noncombat mission was created in 2018 at the request of Iraqi authorities to help the country as officials sought to bolster its security forces and fight against terrorism. NATO personnel trained members of Iraq’s security forces but weren’t deployed with them during combat operations, according to the alliance.
U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the commander of NATO’s forces in Europe, thanked Iraq and allies for assisting in the relocation.
“I would also like to thank the dedicated men and women of NATO Mission Iraq, who continued their mission throughout this period. They are true professionals,” Grynkewich said in a statement Friday.
The announcement comes as the alliance faces criticism from President Trump, who called NATO “A PAPER TIGER” and “COWARDS” Friday as he seeks military assistance in securing the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway that’s vital for transporting oil from the Persian Gulf.
“They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran,” Mr. Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices.”
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