US President Donald Trump has made his first visit to soldiers stationed in a troubled region, flying in to Iraq on Boxing Day in an unannounced trip. The President travelled with first lady Melania Trump and their trip was shrouded in secrecy.
Trump made his way down a rope line at the military base, shaking hands, chatting and posing for photos.
Fifteen years after the 2003 invasion, the US still has more than 5,000 troops in Iraq as the fight against remaining pockets of resistance by the Islamic State (IS) group continues.
IS has lost a significant amount of territory in Iraq and Syria but is still seen as a threat.
Trump said he wanted US soldiers home from Syria and that Iraq could still be used as a base to stage attacks on IS militants if needed.
He told reporters travelling with him that if needed, the US can attack IS "so fast and so hard" that they "won't know what the hell happened".
Trump, who speaks often about his support for the US military, had faced criticism for not yet visiting troops as he comes up on his two-year mark in office. - Foreign News