U.S. Sets Up First All-American Fire Base in Iraq

[Valin]

Small Wars Journal/VOA:

Carla Babb

Mar. 22 2016

 

The U.S. military has established the first all-American fire base in Iraq since the start of the war against Islamic State, a U.S. military spokesman said Monday.

 

Fewer than 200 Marines have deployed to the fire base, located near the northern Iraqi town of Makhmur, to protect U.S. advisers and Iraqis who are stationed at a nearby Iraqi military base. The base is part of the U.S.-led coalition's efforts to prepare Iraqi combat forces for the fight to retake Mosul.

 

"This is the first time that we've established a spot that's only American," Col. Steve Warren, a coalition spokesman, told reporters from Baghdad. "All of this movement has been done at the invitation of the Iraqi government."

 

Warren said the Marines' mission is defensive and is considered part of the U.S. advise and assist mission. He insisted these Marines are carrying out the same orders as those protecting U.S. advisers at al-Taqaddum airbase during preparations to retake Ramadi from Islamic State fighters last year.

 

In that instance, as well as at the Ayn al-Asad airbase in Anbar province, U.S. force protection troops were deployed within the base. The decision to deploy Marines to a new U.S.-only base near Makhmur was "a tactical decision" made "because of space" restrictions, Warren said.

 

(Snip)