BREAKING: Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Milley say letter announcing US troop withdrawal from Iraq 'was a mistake [...] should not have been released'

So, is the U.S. military withdrawing troops from Iraq? Seems like a pretty basic yes or no question. And yet …

BREAKING: The US military sends a letter to the Iraqi military announcing the “onward movement” of US troops “in due deference to the sovereignty of Iraq & as requested by the Iraqi Parliament & the Iraqi PM”. It’s a withdrawal. pic.twitter.com/tQHSsHTtez

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) January 6, 2020

Though the letter doesn’t bear a signature, the US military has confirmed its authenticity. Not clear yet whether it’s a full or partial withdrawal, but the reference to deference to the Iraqi parliament’s decision makes it seem pretty definitive.

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) January 6, 2020

Fast-forward a little bit:

Defense Secretary Esper says there is "no decision to withdraw." U.S. officials say there is a repositioning of forces for purposes of force protection. But the letter clearly states there will be "movement out of Iraq." It's hard not to see this as a prelude to withdrawal.

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) January 6, 2020

BREAKING: @EsperDoD says memo on withdrawal is not accurate “there’s been no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq.” pic.twitter.com/52DDhSIIQ2

— Tara Copp (@TaraCopp) January 6, 2020

OK …

alrighty then, now that that's all cleared up https://t.co/UJsXHGJZpa

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) January 6, 2020

Well, maybe the Joint Chiefs chair can set the record straight:

General Milley has just said the letter regarding troop movements out of Iraq was a draft, and releasing it was a "mistake." It was however delivered to the Iraqi military. It seems the U.S. military is as confused as everyone else about what their intentions are.

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) January 6, 2020

MORE BREAKING: @thejointstaff Gen. Milley came back to brief us again after looking at the letter. "It was a mistake," he said. Milley said it was a draft, poorly worded, and had not been signed. It was being worked w/ Iraqis. Bottom Line: US troops ARE NOT leaving, he said. https://t.co/L6wGYiVIkv

— Tara Copp (@TaraCopp) January 6, 2020

We may withdraw. We may wait for a binding resolution. We may be daring the Iraqis to take the next step, forcing a choice between us and Iranian subordination. Some idiot in DOD may have taken a pic and texted a contingency doc to a reporter. But the letter wasn’t sent.

— Luke Thompson (@ltthompso) January 6, 2020

Oh lord. Seems like a DOD screwup of fairly epic proportions. https://t.co/iPcJtBPx2R https://t.co/Rvy5PT0xqG

— Luke Thompson (@ltthompso) January 6, 2020

Did somebody send the Iraqi army an unsigned letter?

— Luke Thompson (@ltthompso) January 6, 2020

What a disaster. According to WaPo earlier, the unsigned letter was not sent. Now some reporting that somehow the Iraqi Army was notified. Complete debacle. Only question is who jumped the gun – or did the White House give mixed/conflicting orders.

— Luke Thompson (@ltthompso) January 6, 2020

Seems unlikely an unsigned letter would be sent to the Iraqis, though maybe it was. Alternatively somebody jumped the gun and called ahead. Or maybe they weren’t notified at all and this was just a leak. Anyway, bad look for everybody.

— Luke Thompson (@ltthompso) January 6, 2020

Word is Iran-backed media leaked the letter having received it from the PM’s office. So was a draft sent to the mil as a threat? Yeesh. What a mess.

— Luke Thompson (@ltthompso) January 6, 2020

Anyway, to recap, DOD either did or did not send a signed or unsigned letter to the Iraqi mil or the PM and then it was or wasn’t leaked to an Iran-backed media outlet. WaPo then reported that troops were and weren’t withdrawing at the same time. Schrodinger’s occupation.

— Luke Thompson (@ltthompso) January 6, 2020

Yiiiiiikes.