“It is in the interest of the United States and Iraq to keep this relationship. I am eager to keep this relationship because it's good for us and it's good for everyone else,” al-Abadi said. “In my telephone call with President-elect Trump, he assured me that U.S. support will not only continue, but it is going to be increased. So, I think am going to be looking forward to more U.S. support at this time.”
That increase in American support will be of a logistical nature, al-Abadi said, including the training and arming of Iraqi forces. Given the scope of the Islamic State and its recruiting draw from nations around the world, he said such cooperation between the two nations “is very helpful for us and is very helpful for the United States.”
Al-Abadi said he remains hopeful that his forces, aided by U.S. support, will be able to free Mosul from Islamic State control by the end of the year, but would not commit to a specific timetable. He said the presence of civilians inside the city presented challenges for Iraqi forces, who have nonetheless made progress and have surrounded the city.
“When they come to power, to office, I think they will be pragmatic. I think Mr. Trump is a pragmatic man, he is a businessman. He will look at the situation as is,” he said, echoing President Barack Obama, who made a similar statement in the days after Trump was elected. “I am not going to judge the man by his election statements. I am going to judge him by what he does later. It is not my role to judge any U.S. president, to be honest with you. All we are going to do is to judge our relationship with the United States.”
if he thinks Mosul will be mostly taken by the end of the year why would we step things up?
