US, Iraq agree on talks for withdrawal of US-led coalition from region

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
16 Apr 2024 07:22
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The objective is to transform talks into a bilateral agreement that could still keep a few US troops in Iraq.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, right, meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, left, at the Pentagon on Monday, April 15, 2024, in Washington. (AP)

After a meeting at the White House, US President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani revealed that they would work together to ensure the withdrawal of a US-led coalition in the country amid regional tensions following "Israel's" war on Gaza and Iran's recent retaliatory strikes on "Israel".

A joint statement by Biden and al-Sudani declared that they discussed the "natural evolution" of the coalition "in light of the significant progress that has been made in ten years" and that they would continue to look into issues like ISIS (Daesh), support for the Iraqi government, and boosting Iraqi security forces.

"The two leaders affirmed they would review these factors to determine when and how the mission of the Global Coalition in Iraq would end," the statement noted.

According to AP, the objective would be to transform talks into a bilateral agreement that could still keep a few US troops in Iraq, which already exist as 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria as part of the coalition, knowing that in Syria they are officially considered occupation forces.

Biden and al-Sudani discussed the tense situation in the region, as al-Sudani called for "restraint" on all sides to "stop the expansion of the area of conflict."

Affirmative action?

Al-Sudani made reference to the Higher Military Commission (HMC), comprising both US and Iraqi officials, engaged in discussions regarding the future of the US-led coalition.

He noted that the Iraqi government is fully committed to activating the strategy framework agreement, as it has numerous benefits to offer for both countries.

The US Department of Defense said that launching the commission does not signify the commencement of negotiations between the two countries regarding the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.

Relations between Iraq and the US have recently soured, particularly since the US began illegally targeting sites within Iraq.

Adding to this is a growing anti-US sentiment across the region since "Israel" launched a genocidal war on Gaza, amid unconditional support from the US.

"The end of the US-led coalition mission is a necessity for the security and stability of Iraq. It is also a necessity for preserving constructive bilateral relations between Iraq and the coalition countries," al-Sudani stated during a televised event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Iraqi consensus post-attack

Demands for the US withdrawal from the region intensified amid the Israeli war on Gaza and the repeated US aggressions against different areas in the region in support of the occupation.

Following the United States' wide aggression on areas in Iraq and Syria in February, the Security and Defense Committee in the Iraqi Parliament said that the US-led coalition forces present in the country are "destabilizing the situation" and called on the government to expedite the reaching of an agreement on their withdrawal.

This came after a drone attack targeted a US base in northeast Jordan, killing three US soldiers.

According to CENTCOM, US forces struck more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria with numerous aircraft, including long-range bombers that were said to have taken off from the United States.

In Syria, the attacks led to the killing of several civilians and soldiers, injuring others, as well as causing significant material damage, as per a Syrian military statement.

Meanwhile, the strikes in Iraq resulted in the martyrdom of 16 people, including Iraqi soldiers and civilians.