The career of a U.S. general is in peril after his name appeared on a letter about troop movements in Iraq that was circulated among Baghdad officials.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. William Seely’s name was on the draft letter, though he did not sign it. It was also unclear if he read it before it was sent out.
An active duty officer who serves in the Central Command area of operations said the letter would be disastrous for the Marine. “His career is over. He’s not going to go above one star. He’s not going anywhere,” the officer told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday. “This is really too bad. Seeley is really smart, and he’s a great guy, but this won’t go well for him.”
The letter in question was apparently a draft intended to inform the Iraqi Ministry of Defense of an upcoming U.S. troop movement. It was released one day after the Iraqi Parliament voted in favor of a nonbinding resolution to remove U.S. forces from the country. The vote followed a U.S. air strike Friday that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran’s elite Quds Force.
“Sir, in due deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister, [Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve] will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement,” the unsigned letter said.
Seely is the commanding general of Task Force Iraq. He was previously director of Marine Corps Intelligence. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V for his actions while leading the Marine Corps 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion in Iraq from 2006 to 2007.
While rumors swirled within the military about Seely’s fate, the Pentagon remained reticent when asked to comment on potential fallout from the incident.
“We don’t discuss internal deliberations,” Lt. Col. Thomas Campbell, the Pentagon’s Middle East and Central Asia spokesman, told the Washington Examiner.
The U.S. Central Command directed the Washington Examiner to previous Pentagon statements when asked for comment. The U.S. task force heading up operations in Iraq did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Our policy has not changed. We are not leaving Iraq, and a draft unsigned letter does not constitute a policy change,” Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said during a Pentagon press briefing on Tuesday. “And there’s no signed letter to the best of my knowledge. I’ve asked the question.”
Hours after the memo surfaced on Monday, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described the draft as “poorly worded” and that it “implied withdrawal.”
“That’s not happening,” he told reporters.
“Someone is responsible for this,” the active duty officer said about Seely. “Even if it’s not him, he’s ultimately responsible. He will be held accountable.”
