Gates: AF trainers may stay in Iraq past 2011

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Gates: AF trainers may stay in Iraq past 2011

Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Dec 15, 2009 11:07:16 EST

Air Force advisers will probably stay in Iraq after the end of 2011, when U.S. troops are scheduled to leave the country, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said during his recent visit to the war zone.

Gates was answering questions at Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq, after speaking to service members. He was asked about the future of the Air Force’s mission to advise and assist the Iraqi air force.

“I had this same conversation with some of our folks a couple of days ago in Kabul who are advising the new Afghan air force,” Gates responded, according to an Air Force press release. “I think in both countries, that kind of a role is very likely to continue beyond the end of our combat operations.”

More than half of the 120,000 U.S. troops in Iraq are scheduled to leave the country next year, with the remainder out by the end of 2011.

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Staff Sgt. Michael Gomez of the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Det. 2 lies in the prone supported position to demonstrate different shooting techniques to Iraqi police on Nov. 18 in Baghdad. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says Air Force trainers could stay in the country beyond 2011.

STAFF SGT. ANGELITA LAWRENCE / AIR FORCE Staff Sgt. Michael Gomez of the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Det. 2 lies in the prone supported position to demonstrate different shooting techniques to Iraqi police on Nov. 18 in Baghdad. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says Air Force trainers could stay in the country beyond 2011.

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