About 2,500 US troops are currently stationed in Iraq, and many Iraqi politicians say their help is still needed. Another important ally of Iraq, the Iranian lobby, has called for the withdrawal of US forces from the Iraqi government. One of the largest militias in Iraq, the Popular Mobilization Forces, is under the de facto control of Iran and represents a significant political and armed force within the country.
According to the New York Times, the Iraqi prime minister will soon negotiate with the United States the withdrawal of US combat units, but the US government will do so mainly on paper. This will be achieved by formally reclassifying the tasks of US units, that is, they will perform training and advisory tasks instead of combat ones. It is not yet clear whether the number of soldiers or the composition of the participating units will change.
The New York Times sees this as a win-win situation that will allow Al-Kazemi to meet an important demand, but will continue to support the United States. For now, it is questionable to what extent the move will meet the needs of those calling for the Americans to leave.
The US armed forces returned to Iraq in 2014 after the then-government requested US support to fight the Islamic State.
Cover photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images
