Iraq is developing a joint cooperation strategy.. Washington intends to remain in Baghdad despite the negotiations, 3 MARCH

Iraq is developing a joint cooperation strategy.. Washington intends to remain in Baghdad despite the negotiations

Mawazine News – Baghdad
Despite the Iraqi government announcing the end of the first round of bilateral discussions to end the mission of foreign forces, the American envoy to the international coalition announced that there is no plan for an imminent withdrawal from the country.

The military spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Major General Yahya Rasool, announced an agreement to formulate a timetable “for a studied and gradual reduction, leading to the end of the international coalition’s mission to fight ISIS in Iraq.”

Ian McCarry said, in an interview with Al-Hurra TV, that “there are no imminent plans for withdrawal,” noting that “Iraq is a founding country of the international coalition and plays a leadership role in it.”

The American official confirmed that “there are bilateral discussions with Iraq in order to establish a permanent framework for security cooperation between the two countries,” without referring to withdrawal.

Makari revealed that “there are ongoing discussions to convince Iraq of the necessity of continuing the coalition,” adding that “in general, there is a common vision between the two parties regarding the necessity of continuing the campaign against ISIS.”

Makari stressed that “the coalition forces provide technical cooperation with the Iraqis and the role of the coalition in Iraq is a supportive one,” noting that “the Iraqi forces have very advanced capabilities in fighting the organization’s elements.”

Regarding the presence of ISIS in the Middle East and the Iranian role, he said that the coalition forces would defend themselves if they were attacked by Tehran’s agents, and accused them of playing “a very negative role in the region.”

With the decline of the ISIS threat, mutual attacks between the armed factions allied with Iran and the American forces stationed increased, before the existing truce, even with the Nujaba Movement announcing that it was in a state of “repositioning.”

Last week, the Supreme Iraqi Military Committee resumed its meetings with the international coalition forces in Baghdad with the aim of “assessing the military situation, the level of danger, the operational environment, and the capabilities of the Iraqi armed forces.”

Although the Iraqi Prime Minister was informing the Western officials he met during the past two months that his country was seeking to end the presence of the international coalition, Washington spoke at the same time of a “permanent bilateral security partnership.”

There are about 2,500 American soldiers in Iraq, while about 900 American soldiers are deployed in Syria, within the framework of the international coalition launched by Washington in 2014.

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