Iraq?
Now there is a word seldom heard in the news these days.
US troops have been dealing with Iraq for well over 20+ years and I for one think it is time to take our goodies and go home.
Well I will be….there are talks starting that would do just that….or at least lessen the US footprint in the country.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed on Thursday that the US and Iraq will start talks on the future of the US military presence in Iraq in the “coming days,” which could result in a US withdrawal.
Baghdad has been calling for an end to the presence of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition in response to recent US airstrikes in Iraq. Tensions are soaring as Iraqi Shia militias have been attacking US bases in both Iraq and Syria due to President Biden’s support for the Israeli slaughter in Gaza.
Austin said the two countries will convene a meeting of the US-Iraq Higher Military Commission (HMC), which was formed last summer. Signaling that the US wants to maintain some sort of presence in Iraq, Austin said the HMC will “enable the transition to an enduring bilateral security partnership between the United States and Iraq.”
There are about 2,500 US troops in Iraq as part of the anti-ISIS coalition, known as Operation Inherent Resolve. In recent years, the US presence in Iraq has been more about pushing back against Iran’s influence in the country as ISIS has been reduced to small remnants.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has said that Iraq’s security forces can handle ISIS without the US. Austin said the “transition” in the US presence depends on three factors: “the threat from ISIS, operational and environmental requirements, and the Iraqi security forces’ capability levels.”
There have been reports that indicate the US is also considering ending its military occupation of eastern Syria. There are about 900 US troops, and the US is able to control about one-third of Syria’s territory by backing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Sources within the Pentagon and State Department told Foreign Policy that the White House “is no longer invested in sustaining a mission that it perceives as unnecessary.” Al-Monitor reported that the Pentagon floated a plan for the SDF to partner with the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, which is under crippling US sanctions.
US officials told POLITICO that a withdrawal from Syria or Iraq is not imminent but did acknowledge there are conversations within the Biden administration about pulling troops out of Syria. However, another US official told CNN that the US was not considering leaving Syria.
(antiwar.com)
A helluva idea….this involvement has gone long past its ‘sell by’ date.
But there may be an another motive other than getting out of Iraq and that would be to make way for further actions elsewhere in the region (Yemen).
Time to re-think all this shit!
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”
We have bases in Iraq and rest of Middle East for war preps in place. If war starts we can’t send fuel, vehicles, supplies, etc. It has to be already there for troops to use. Supply bases must be already “in country”. We aren’t sending men “over there” (France) WW I anymore. Supplies must be in place to use at just a moment’s notice. But don’t worry. Boobin will defund and withdraw to leave us max vulnerability just like millions at open border and cartels and drugs too.
WE have ‘supply bases all over the Middle East…..I feel this is just freeing up stuff for the next war to come…..we can not be vulnerable in the Middle East….we have at least 6 bases a stone’s throw from Iraq so we do not need Iraq in any way….unless we need to guard Exxon’s oil reserves. chuq
I certainly hope they guard the oil reserves. Shall we allow ourselves to be strangled without fuel ? Yes, I know our soldiers die for oil and that seems ugly. It’s a necessary reality. I don’t like this either. Wouldn’t wany my son killed for oil.
THe oil reserves are the problem BP, Exxon, et al……we have enough poil for our own consumption we do not need the Rea Sea oil. chuq
yes
Agree chuq
Definitely time to move on from Iraq. But as you say, where to next?
Best wishes, Pete.
I feel it is just to re-allocate resources in ‘defense’ of Israel. chuq
You’re probably right . So isn’t this wise ? It’ll probably evolve precisely as you suggest. They are also listening stations for all earth communications.
Israel should stand alone or at least prove they belong in a civilized world. chuq
A hasty withdrawal from Iraq would be a dangerous decision in light of the weak government there. As YOU mentioned in YOUR article, I expect the United States to focus on the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea region to protect the vital shipping lane. It may also intervene directly by supporting certain Yemeni parties, which could lead to a new war within Yemen.
If we wait for a strong government I will be long dead…..time for the US to find a way out. Thanx for the visit and the comment…..chuq