American report: Because of Iranian influence, Iraq cannot be a partner with Washington

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[size=52]American report: Because of Iranian influence, Iraq cannot be a partner with Washington[/size]

[size=45]The American magazine “Foreign Affairs” published a report on the relationship between Iraq and the United States, and the view of American politicians on Iraq. The magazine saw that Iraq was an enemy and then a friend of the United States, but has now become the “enemy friend” depending on the current administration in Washington.[/size]
[size=45]The report considered that, after two years of relative stability in Iraq and the formation of a new government in the United States, the two countries may finally be on the path toward sustainable relations, adding that representatives from both countries met in Washington in early August. To begin bilateral negotiations on a long-term defense partnership between the two countries.[/size]
[size=45]Foreign Affairs saw that this dialogue between the United States and Iraq, and any potential agreements that will follow it, once again raises a recurring question about the type of relationship that the United States should seek to reach with Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]The magazine indicated in its report that American decision-makers had previously tried to answer this question based on their perspective on Iraq, and the role it played in the “American mentality.” During the era of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Iraq was, for Washington, a “pariah state” subject to sanctions. An enemy determined to use weapons of mass destruction.[/size]
[size=45]After the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the overthrow of the regime, Iraq became for the Americans a “nation-building experiment,” a lukewarm partner in the war against terrorism, and a puppet controlled by Iran. But now, President Biden’s administration has assigned itself a mission to go beyond this “changing legacy” to reach permanent and final normalization. With Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]The report indicated that the role of the American forces currently stationed in Iraq, which number about two thousand American soldiers, is focused on training and providing advice to the Iraqi security forces.[/size]
[size=45]The US Army is also waging campaigns against ISIS in Iraq and Syria in cooperation with local partners, including 313 such operations in 2022. The report suggested that the agreement, technical support, and advice between the United States and Iraq would continue, but stressed that the “ultimate independence” desired for the army Iraqi forces, especially elite forces in the field, require better coordination among deployed Iraqi security forces, which often compete rather than cooperate.[/size]
[size=45]The report indicated that one of the factors complicating progress in US-Iraqi relations is the proliferation of armed groups that operate outside the official command structure of the Iraqi army, and in some cases appear to be directed by Iran.[/size]
[size=45]The magazine said that helping Iraq to strengthen its state's capabilities is the best way to move towards a more normal and friendly US-Iraqi relationship and to serve the interests of the Iraqi people, but without compromising the security of the United States.[/size]
[size=45]Foreign Affairs continued that the modern history of US-Iraqi relations is “a story of repeated conflict.” In the decade that preceded the First Gulf War, Iraq was primarily on Washington’s radar, as Iran’s opponent in an exhausting war that lasted eight years. When former President Ronald Reagan's secret sale of weapons to Iran in the "Iran-Contra" case was revealed, reactions were negative, which prompted Washington to be somewhat open to Baghdad.[/size]
[size=45]After the war ended, Iraq became a major market for grains from the Midwest, despite concerns that Iraq was amassing weapons of mass destruction.[/size]
[size=45]With Saddam's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Baghdad turned from a trading partner of the United States into a "strategic adversary," as former President George H. W. Bush launched a war to liberate Kuwait, hoping to destroy Iraqi elite units and make it vulnerable to an internal revolution, but this plan did not succeed.[/size]
[size=45]The report stated that the administration of former President Bill Clinton continued to encourage plots against Saddam, and in the 1990s, the United States launched an economic war on Iraqi civilians by imposing sanctions.[/size]
[size=45]The report considered that the relationship remained fraught under the administration of President Donald Trump, as Iraq was viewed by American officials as a “puppet” in the hands of Iran, and they treated Iraq with suspicion and contempt. Washington has so far focused on economic cooperation while downplaying the importance of military relations between the United States. and Iraq, a transformation made possible by the gradual disintegration of ISIS in recent years.[/size]
[size=45]The report stated that the Biden administration is shifting its attention to the military component of this relationship, as Washington will continue to provide military support to Iraq, considering that instead of making “open commitments” towards the Iraqi army, Washington should focus on its most effective elements, such as the Counter-Terrorism Service. .[/size]
[size=45]As the United States and Iraq move toward establishing normal diplomatic relations, this must be followed by the withdrawal of American forces while maintaining aid, something that the report considered would be difficult, as the current focus on economic issues, coordination, and relatively modest military assistance indicates the desired future for Iraq, as a friend and not as a country. An ally of the United States. The report indicated the presence of some armed groups in Iraq, which receive their guidance from Iran, and the United States “tolerates” these facts, as skeptics in Washington see the Biden administration’s willingness to coexist with this situation instead of eliminating it militarily, or making American aid conditional. By besieging groups, it is evidence of American weakness.[/size]
[size=45]From this point of view, Iraq is at best a “contradictory partner,” and at worst an “implicit enemy.” Given this and the extent of Iranian influence, Iraq cannot be an independent regional partner. Competing loyalties within the Iraqi army represent a problem. Militias hinder the state from fully consolidating its authority. Moreover, militias absorb unemployed youth who may engage in criminal or violent activities.[/size]
[size=45]Although the groups may only offer meager salaries, they help keep Iraq's weak economy alive and keep their recruits out of trouble.[/size]
[size=45]The groups constitute a source of nuisance and threat to the Americans, and a potential source of escalation between the United States and Iran as long as American forces remain in Iraq, but the solution to this dilemma does not lie in fighting the groups directly or forcing the Iraqi government to restrain them, but by applying “traditional diplomacy.” Strengthening the capacity of the Iraqi state through slower and more sustainable means, targeted aid and economic cooperation, according to the report.[/size]
[size=45]It also indicates that the United States has already turned its attention to other serious problems plaguing Iraq, with the general US approach being to move beyond security concerns and prioritize pressing economic and humanitarian issues.[/size]
[size=45]The report indicated that Washington bears a moral responsibility to help the Iraqis. Over the course of 30 years, the United States has inflicted severe damage on Iraq, adding that it is important to help Iraq recover from decades of conflict, rather than blaming it because of the structure of groups that is itself a product of the American invasion. It would make the United States' regional position more secure and enhance its reputation for reliability.[/size]
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