WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden said US relations with Iraq would enter a new phase with American forces who came out of the battle operation in the country at the end of the year when he held talks Monday with Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi.
In the midst of the threat of the rise of the Islamic State and the strong influence of Iran in Baghdad, Biden emphasized that Washington remained “committed to our security cooperation” while Kadhemi reaffirmed their “strategic partnership”.
US forces in Iraq will “continue to practice, to help, to help, to deal with ISIS (Islamic State) as they appear,” Biden said.
However, in the shift that came as the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, the US leader confirmed that US $ 2,500 was still in Iraq would not fight.
“We will not be, at the end of the year, in the battle mission,” he said.
Eighteen years after the US invaded Iraq to remove Strongman Saddam Hussein, and seven years after the US-led coalition fought against the extremist of the Islamic state that threatened the country, Washington changed his focus on other types of assistance.
It is said that it will help strengthen electricity supply, against Covid-19, facing the effects of climate change, and supporting the development of the private sector.
About 500,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine promised to Baghdad “will be there in a few weeks,” Biden told Kadhemi in the White House.
Biden also emphasized US support for elections in October in Iraq, said Washington collaborated with Baghdad, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the United Nations to ensure fair selection.
“We support strengthening Iraqi democracy and we want to ensure advanced selection,” he said.
Kadhemi said he was in Washington “to discuss the future of our nation.” “America, they help Iraq.
Together we fight, fight, and defeat ISIS,” he said.
“Today, our relationship is stronger than before – our partnership in the economy, environment, health, education, culture and more.” Face-to-face meetings, analysts said, were to provide support and discuss Kadhemi, in power for a little more than a year and under pressure from Iran’s political factions to encourage US troops from their country.
A senior US official who will not be identified praised Kadhemi because it becomes pragmatic and “problem solving rather than someone who tries to use problems for his own political purposes.” The main concern of Washington is to provide sufficient support to Iraqi security forces to continue to fight against the remnants of Islamic countries – while also maintaining Iran’s influence in Iraq.
Since last year the main role of the remaining US forces in Iraq has been practicing, giving advice, and supporting their Iraqi colleagues to fight the Islamic State.
But strong pro-Iran political factions, which are very important for Kadhemi to hold forces, openly hostile US presence, and is accused of being behind rocket attacks and drones at the base in Iraq where US forces operate.
The Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee, a group of militia factions, threatened to continue the attack except the United States attracted all of his troops and ended “work”.
Drone’s attack was carried out on Friday at the military base in Iraq Kurdistan who accommodated American forces, but did not cause casualties.
The US Department of State’s statement about the lower level bilateral meeting that accompanies the Biden-Kadhemi summit emphasizes us respect for Iraq’s sovereignty.
“The base of our host and other coalition personnel are the Iraqan base and operate per Iraqi law; they are not our base or coalition, and the presence of international personnel in Iraq solely to support the Iraqi War Government against Isis,” said.
Ramzy Mardini, an Iraqi specialist at the University of Pearson Institute University of Chicago, said the meeting could be cosmetically “shaped” to help the Iraqi Premier relieve domestic pressure.
“But the reality on the ground will reflect the status quo and the presence of the US last longer,” Mardini said.