Latest "USCENTCOM" stories

CENTCOM commander sees smaller but enduring troop presence in Iraq

Six months after a deadly American airstrike in Baghdad enraged Iraqis and fueled demands to send all U.S. troops home, the top U.S. general for the Middle East is talking optimistically about keeping a smaller, but enduring military presence there.

By Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press

3 years ago

Baghdad protests

Nighttime mortar attack on US Embassy in Baghdad injured 1

A top U.S. commander said on Monday mortars were used in an attack on the American embassy in Baghdad that injured one person and caused some material damage the previous night, not katyusha rockets as was initially reported by staffers and a statement from the military.

3 years ago

The US is committed to Syria mission, says top American general in the Middle East

U.S. troops at military outposts ín eastern Syria asked variations of the same question to their top commander Saturday: What is our future here? What are the goals we need to think about?

By Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press

3 years ago

Fears of new conflict rise after US kills Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian general, in strike on Baghdad airport

“Don’t underestimate the hatred and vitriol that senior U.S. military officials with experience in Iraq have toward Qassem Soleimani."

By Shawn Snow, Howard Altman and Aaron Mehta

3 years ago

Pompeo signs off on al-Udeid Air Base expansion, but says Qatar diplomatic crisis ‘has dragged on too long’

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday an ongoing boycott of Qatar by four of America’s allies in the Middle East “has dragged on too long,” though he gave no sign of any coming breakthrough in the dispute.

4 years ago

DoD hasn’t followed CENTCOM deployment requirements for advisers heading to Afghanistan, report says

The Department of Defense has not been following through on adviser training for its service members before deploying them to Afghanistan, a government watchdog reported.

By Kyle Rempfer

4 years ago