US, Iraq to Kick Off Talks on Future of Unwelcome US Occupation Forces

By Al Mayadeen English

The United States and Iraq have started talks to examine the future of the US presence, or rather occupation, on Iraqi soil.

Sources familiar with the matter indicate that the United States and Iraq are on the verge of engaging in discussions regarding the future of the US occupation of Iraq.

The talks, facilitated by a higher military commission (HMC) formed last summer, will center on the next phase of the US-led international coalition that has been occupying Iraq against the will of the Iraqi people for decades, a US official told CNN.

The Iraqi Resistance's operations against the US occupation forces have proven to be potent, with CNN reporting that the recent airstrikes launched by the US against local Resistance groups after the latter attacked US forces in Syria and Iraq in a bid to boot them out due to their support of the Israeli occupation in light of the ongoing genocide in Gaza made the discussions more important.

As the United States violated Iraq's sovereignty, calls from the Iraqi government for the withdrawal of US troops have amplified in response to these strikes.

The talks will delve into the feasibility and timing of ending the US military occupation. The US is seeking a conditions-based approach as it continues to uphold the pretext that it is maintaining a presence in Iraq to fight off ISIS despite the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, notably the Popular Mobilization Forces, underlining that they do not need aid from the imperialist state.

In contrast, some factions within the Iraqi government advocate for a timeline-based schedule, independent of the country's security situation.

"The HMC will be an opportunity to jointly evaluate the conditions required for the future of the D-ISIS fight in Iraq and shape the nature of the bilateral security relationship. The timing is not related to recent attacks. The US will maintain full right of self-defense during the talk," the US official added to the news outlet.

Despite recent strikes and the wider regional instability, the Pentagon emphasizes that the Iraqi government has not formally requested a US military withdrawal and underscores that US troops are in Iraq at the invitation of the government.

Iraq's foreign minister hinted at the impending discussions, stating that he received an important message from the US government, to be studied by the Prime Minister and relevant authorities. No set deadline exists for the conclusion of the talks.

While the US maintains a presence in Syria to combat ISIS, officials have clarified that a withdrawal from Syria is not currently under consideration by the Biden Administration despite the near-identical sentiment being prevalent there.

The move to expel the US gained momentum in Iraq after the assassination of top Iraqi and Iranian anti-terror commanders four years ago following the height of the fight against terror in the region, with the Iraqi parliament adopting a law to expel foreign forces. The targeted drone strike, authorized by then-President Donald Trump, claimed the lives of General Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis near the Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020.

Soleimani, the commander of the elite Quds Force unit of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), and al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), played pivotal roles in countering the ISIS terrorist group in the region, particularly Iraq and Syria.

US unwelcome

A statement from the Iraqi parliament emphasized the irrevocable nature of the legislation adopted in January 2020, requiring the government to end the presence of all US-led foreign military forces in the Arab country.

The United States redeployed a large force in Iraq following an agreement with the Iraqi government which mandated the US military to support the country in its fight against ISIS. Under a Combined Joint Task Force, dubbed "Operation Inherent Resolve," the US has maintained a large presence, including two airbases, through which it claims to fight terrorism in the region.

Deputy Speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi declared that the bill enjoys widespread popular support and urged the government to implement the legislation while focusing on bolstering Iraqi security forces rather than relying on foreign troops to combat terror groups.

Al-Sudani's statement echoes a similar one made last week, wherein he called for an agreement on a specific timeframe for the withdrawal of the US-led international coalition in Iraq which "honestly" needs to be "quick".

In an interview for Reuters, al-Sudani said, "Let's agree on a timeframe that is, honestly, quick, so that they don't remain long and the attacks keep happening."

Moreover, the Prime Minister explained that to avoid "more expansion of the arena of conflict in a sensitive region," the "devastating killing machine [in Gaza]" must be brought to an end and humanitarian aid must be delivered "as soon as possible."

Al-Sudani stressed that this "is the only solution".

"There is a need to reorganize this relationship so that it is not a target or justification for any party, internal or foreign, to tamper with stability in Iraq and the region," the Prime Minister said, emphasizing that Iraq can now defend itself against terrorism and should exercise its full sovereignty upon the entirety of its territory, thereby avoiding providing any pretext to drag Iraq into a regional conflict.

Additionally, al-Sudani explained that for Baghdad the US "is not an enemy," and that Baghdad is "not at war with it, but if these tensions continue it will definitely impact and create a gap in this relationship."