US set to announce troop reduction plan in Iraq
Shafaq News/The US is expected to announce a long-anticipated agreement with Iraq next weekaimed at reducing the American troop presence in the country, according to areport from the American newspaper Politico, citing two administrationofficials.
Negotiationsare in the final stages, with Iraqi officials indicating that the current forceof 2,500 US troops could leave by the end of 2026. However, the officialsacknowledged that the fight against the remnants of ISIS in Iraq and Syriacontinues.
OngoingThreat
“ISIS hasdefinitely been severely defeated, certainly territorially defeated, and wewant to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS, but the threat does remain,” asenior Defense Department official told reporters Friday, speaking on thecondition of anonymity.
RegionalTensions
Theannouncement comes amid rising tensions in the region, particularly withincreased attacks from Israeli and Hezbollah fighters and growing concernsfollowing the outbreak of the Israeli war in Gaza, which has led to US forcesin Iraq and Syria facing attacks from “Iranian proxies,” the report affirmed.
Upcoming UNDiscussions
According tothe American newspaper's report, the announcement is anticipated to followanother round of discussions between US and Iraqi officials at the UnitedNations General Assembly in New York next week. This move is part of the Bidenadministration’s broader effort to clarify long-standing US commitments abroadbefore President Joe Biden leaves office in January. The administration is alsofocused on establishing a solid footing for Ukraine ahead of potential peacenegotiations with Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expectedto present his plan to Biden during their upcoming meeting.
CongressionalConcerns
The shift inUS military presence has raised concerns on Capitol Hill. House Armed ServicesCommittee Chair Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) expressed frustration over theanticipated decision, stating, “There seems to be no strategic militaryadvantage to this anticipated decision. Withdrawing from Iraq in this way wouldbenefit and embolden Iran and ISIS. I am deeply concerned about the impactssuch a decision would have on our national security.”
ContinuedOperations
Despite thereduction in threat levels, American and Iraqi special operations forces haverecently launched several raids targeting ISIS leadership due to an increase inthe group's attacks on US and Iraqi forces. The DOD official emphasized thatthese operations would continue to “further weaken them, further prevent themfrom conducting external operations, and disrupt their command and control andtheir leadership cadres. That ability is going to continue.”
WithdrawalJustifications
Iraqi PrimeMinister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani commented this week, stating that “thejustifications are no longer there” for a large US presence in Iraq. “There isno need for a coalition. We have moved on from wars to stability. ISIS is notreally representing a challenge.”
DefenseMinister Thabit al-Abbasi echoed Al-Sudani's sentiment in a recent interviewwith Al-Arabiya television, revealing thatthe two countries have reached an agreement to transition Operation InherentResolve, the international coalition formed in 2014 to combat ISIS, into asmaller “sustainable security partnership.” This new arrangement will reduce US troop numbers, scaling down to asmaller advisory presence by 2026.
IncreasingAttacks
While ISISno longer poses the same threat as before, attacks have increased significantlyin 2024, with US special operations forces conducting several joint operations withIraqi troops that resulted in the elimination of 14 terrorists, the US militaryconfirmed. Attacks attributed to ISIS in Syria and Iraq are on pace to doublecompared to last year, with 153 reported attacks in the first half of 2024alone compared to 121 attacks in 2023.
FuturePartnership Focus
Based on thereport, the talks have shifted focus from a coalition military mission to an enduringbilateral security partnership, aligning with discussions between PresidentBiden and the Iraqi Prime Minister during his visit to Washington in April.“We’ve been working with the Iraqis, and importantly, with all of our coalitionpartners, to determine when and how, and what that might look like,” the DODofficial confirmed.
Disclaimer:The views presented by the author do not necessarily reflect the officialstandpoint of Shafaq News Agency.
