White, Robert P (Major General US Army 'Coalition against ISIS')

Collection relating to the service of Australian soldiers of the Coalition against ISIS, Iraq, 2017.

The collection consists of a single letter congratulating members of the Coalition against ISIS on the liberation of Tal Afar. The letter was displayed on the noticeboard of the Australian HQ at Taji Military Complex, Iraq. The Battle of Tal Afar was an offensive announced on 20 August 2017 by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in order to liberate the Tal Afar region from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Victory was declared on 31 August 2017, the same day as Major-General White's letter.

The letter was written by United States Army Major General Robert P White, commanding general of Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF–OIR). CJTF–OIRs role in Iraq was to advise, assist and enable partnered forces to defeat ISIS by providing training and guidance with military operational planning, intelligence and air support on the battlefield. CJTF–OIR was established in 2014 by the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) to coordinate military efforts against ISIL (Da'esh), and is composed of US military forces and personnel from over 30 countries including Australia. The stated aim of CJTF–OIR is to "degrade and destroy" ISIL.