China News Agency, Washington, August 20 (Reporter Chen Mengtong) Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Kadimi visited Washington, the capital of the United States, on the 20th and met with US President Trump at the White House. Continue to cooperate in combating the extremist organization "Islamic State" has become the primary outcome of the meeting between the two sides.

  Trump and Kadimi issued a joint statement after the meeting stating that the two countries will continue to cooperate closely to ensure that the "Islamic State" does not pose a threat to Iraq and other countries. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to long-term security cooperation to build Iraq’s military capabilities and respond to threats to their common interests.

  In December 2017, Iraq announced a historic victory against the "Islamic State", but there are still some extremists in Iraq waiting for opportunities to launch attacks. Since the beginning of this year, the remnants of the "Islamic State" have frequently launched attacks in many places in Iraq, and the Iraqi security forces have also stepped up their efforts to suppress them.

  During the meeting, Trump said that the focus of discussions between the two sides that day was military and defense. At present, the number of US troops in Iraq is "very small", "but we will help there."

  Kadimi said that Iran is willing to develop a solid bilateral relationship with the US based on the common interests of the two countries and the economic interests of the two peoples.

  Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, 53, was sworn in as Iraq’s prime minister in May this year. He has been in charge of Iraq's national intelligence service for a long time and is regarded as a candidate who can mediate the US-Iran confrontation and ease regional tensions.

  At present, the US military in Iraq is facing a dilemma between staying and leaving. In January this year, after the United States attacked and killed the Iranian general Soleimani in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the Iraqi National Assembly passed a resolution calling for the end of the presence of foreign troops in Iraq. On the other hand, the counter-terrorism operations of the Iraqi security forces still need the support of the US military.

  When asked about the timetable for the withdrawal of US troops in Iraq, Trump referred the question to Secretary of State Pompeo beside him. "As long as we can accomplish the task." Pompeo replied that the United States hopes to reduce the number of US troops in Iraq to the lowest level as soon as possible. "We are working with Iraq to achieve this goal."

  According to the Associated Press, there are currently more than 5,000 US troops stationed in Iraq. Frank McKenzie, commander of the US Central Command, previously stated that he believes that the United States will maintain a small but lasting military presence in Iraq. (Finish)