NATO willing to expand Iraqi training mission to meet Trump demand

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gestures as he holds a news conference ahead of a NATO defence ministers meeting at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 11, 2020. REUTERS/Francois LenoirBRUSSELS: NATO is considering an increase to its training mission in Iraq to relieve the burden on the US-led coalition against Islamic State, senior officials and diplomats said on Tuesday .

NATO defence ministers including US Secretary of State Mark Esper will discuss options for non-combat operations in the Middle East at a two-day meeting in Brussels starting on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said. US Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said the alliance was also seeking military advice, both from NATO and Iraq, on how to increase the mission, but gave no details."I think it will definitely be the answer to what President Trump has requested," she said.Established in Baghdad in October 2018, the NATO training mission in Iraq numbers about 500 personnel. It does not deploy alongside Iraqi forces during their operations.

While symbolic, the coalition is outside NATO structures. Putting more personnel under a NATO flag would solidify training in Iraq and could make it more long-term, also cementing NATO's presence in the region.

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