Secretary of State Pompeo makes unannounced stop in Iraq amid increased tensions in region
WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made an unannounced stop in Iraq Tuesday, meeting with high-level government officials amid increased tensions in the region.
Pompeo's stop in Baghdad came as Pentagon rushed additional military muscle, including B-52 bombers, to the Middle East to counter Iranian threats to U.S. troops on the ground and at sea.
"Iran is escalating their activity," Pompeo told reporters en route to Baghdad. "I wanted to go to Baghdad to speak with the leadership there, to assure them that we stood ready to continue to ensure that Iraq is a sovereign, independent nation."
Pompeo made the stop after abruptly cancelling a trip to Berlin earlier Tuesday, with the State Department citing unspecified "pressing issues." Pompeo had been scheduled to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany's foreign minister to discuss Ukraine, Russia, Syria and other thorny issues.
Instead, Pompeo met with Iraq's defense and intelligence chiefs, as well as the country's foreign minister and several other officials. They discussed the security situation in Iraq, where the U.S. has more than 5,000 American troops stationed.
"We wanted to let them know about the increased threat stream that we had seen (from Iran) and give them a little bit more background on that," Pompeo told reporters after his plane departed Baghdad.
"They understood, too, it’s important for their country. We don’t want anyone interfering in their country, certainly not by attacking another nation inside of Iraq and there was complete agreement,” he said.
Pompeo also pressed the Iraqi leaders on whether they could and would protect U.S. forces in their country.
"We talked to them about the importance of Iraq ensuring that it’s able to adequately protect Americans in their country," Pompeo said. "They understood that was their responsibility."
Pompeo was in Finland on Monday to participate in a meeting of the Arctic Council, part of a four-day trip to Europe. The Arctic Council has eight member countries, including the U.S., Canada and Russia.
In his remarks there, Pompeo refused to directly use the words "climate change" or to sign any joint Arctic Council statement acknowledging the impact of global warming on that region.
Instead, Pompeo framed the melting sea ice as an opportunity for increased economic activity.
“Steady reductions in sea ice are opening new naval passageways and new opportunities for trade, potentially slashing the time it takes for ships to travel between Asia and the West by 20 days,” the secretary of state said in a speech Monday.
His remarks drew fire from scientists and environmental advocates. The Washington Post reported last week that the Trump administration pushed to remove any reference to climate change from a multi-nation statement on Arctic policy.
Pompeo also used his stop in Finland to warn Russia and China against aggression in the Arctic region.
“The region has become an arena of global power and competition and the eight Arctic states must adapt to this new future,” Pompeo said in a speech Monday.
Contributing: Tom Vanden Brook
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Secretary of State Pompeo makes unannounced stop in Iraq amid increased tensions in region
