Iraqi official; The possibility of the withdrawal of US combat troops in the near future.
Two Iraqi officials told a Qatari newspaper that talks between Baghdad and Washington on a new round of strategic talks were under way, and there is a possibility that US troops could be withdrawn from Iraq.
Two prominent Iraqi officials told the Qatari newspaper Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that a group of members of the Iraqi government were consulting with the US embassy in Baghdad to determine the timing of the fourth round of the Baghdad-Washington strategic dialogue; The talks are scheduled to take place in Washington after the Eid al-Adha holiday.
In early April, for the first time during Joe Biden’s presidency, the two sides held a third round of videoconferences, led by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein and his US counterpart Anthony Blinken. they had.
According to a report today (Wednesday) by Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed, a senior official in the office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces told the Qatari newspaper: “He is going to go to Washington, he will participate or Fuad Hussein will take over on his behalf.”
The unnamed Iraqi official added that the issue largely depends on current political and security developments in Iraq, as well as ongoing ongoing consultations between the Foreign Ministry, Qassim al-Araji, the Iraqi National Security Adviser, the Prime Minister’s Office, and Commands the operations of this country.
The official also said that Baghdad had established contacts with the American side to discuss the groundwork for the fourth phase of strategic talks with Washington; The stage, the outcome of which will depend on the completion or continuation of these conversations.
Another Iraqi official told the Qatari newspaper that There might be an announcement of the withdrawal of 500 [US] combat troops from Iraq, and that the rest of the troops stationed in Iraq would continue to serve as military advisers and trainers under the auspices of the International Coalition.
According to the Iraqi official, who was not named by the newspaper, the Iraqi prime minister has promised some Iraqi political groups that major progress will be made in the case of the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
However, he added: “All current perceptions and understandings may change if Washington responds to the recent attacks by armed groups and the government does not fulfill any promise or commitment not to repeat the US attack.”
The remarks came as the two sides in the previous round of strategic talks focused on changing the role of US forces, as well as the International Coalition Against ISIL, training and advising Iraqi forces, as well as supporting them and empowering them in the face of ISIL and the strengthening of the so-called Iraqi institutions were agreed upon.
The first round of these talks was held last year in the form of a video conference and lasted for several hours; talks attended by some security and political officials in Baghdad and Washington, as well as State Department officials.
The second round of talks took place during Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s visit to Washington; During a visit last August, the Iraqi prime minister met with former US President Donald Trump.
Consultations are under way for the fourth round of strategic Baghdad-Washington talks, with US positions repeatedly targeted by large-scale rocket and drone strikes in recent days.
The attacks came after the United States targeted an Iraqi al-Hashdal al-Shabaab position on the Iraqi-Syrian border; An action that resulted in the martyrdom of four al-Hashd fighters.
