Analysts warn of security challenges facing Iraq with the withdrawal of US forces

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[size=52]Analysts warn of security challenges facing Iraq with the withdrawal of US forces[/size]

[size=45]Translated by / Hamed Ahmed[/size]
[size=45]Security analysts and experts indicated that they are warning of the security risks that Iraq may face with the hasty withdrawal of American and coalition forces from the country, which leaves Baghdad in a state of ill-preparedness to deal with deep-rooted internal security problems and sleeper cells of ISIS militants, estimated at around a thousand militants spread among... Iraq and Syria.[/size]
[size=45]In response to calls from the Iraqi government on the issue of the withdrawal of American forces from the country, the discussions of the Supreme Military Committee that was formed last summer between the two countries are being activated today as a negotiating platform to discuss the future of the American military presence in Iraq. This was embodied in statements from the two countries last Thursday about the imminent holding of sessions. To discuss the transition process to a permanent bilateral security partnership between Iraq and the United States.[/size]
[size=45]The Iraqi Prime Minister, Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, amid escalating rates of violence between American forces and armed factions supported by Iran, called for entering into a bilateral dialogue to pave the way for the exit of foreign forces from the country. He said during an interview at the Davos Forum this month that Iraq “must reach “For an understanding on a timetable for ending the international coalition mission” at a time when ISIS no longer poses a threat. He said that the American air attacks on mobilization sites destabilize Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]A website report indicated: The American newspaper The Art Street noted that the discussions will focus on the issue of the second phase of the international coalition forces against ISIS in the country, taking into account the decline in threats from ISIS, as the discussions are gaining interest amid regional instability resulting from the consequences of the ongoing war in Gaza.[/size]
[size=45]A high-ranking American military official revealed to The Art Street website that there are approximately 1,000 ISIS militants spread between Iraq and Syria, noting that discussing setting a timetable for withdrawal adds another complication to the discussions, as the United States prefers Withdrawal based on the development of the security situation, which includes reassurance of permanently defeating ISIS and ensuring the stability of the country. There are other parties in Iraq pushing for withdrawal within a specific time frame.[/size]
[size=45]Jonathan Lord, an American security researcher, urged a shift in American support, stressing the Iraqi security forces' need for continued military capacity and competence to prevent the possibility of a return of past threats and challenges to ISIS.[/size]
[size=45]At a time when changes are expected to occur in the nature of the security relationship between the two countries, a senior American military official expects that Iraq does not want an urgent withdrawal of American forces because of the security challenges that this may pose in the absence of American security assistance.[/size]
[size=45]A report by The National news website indicated that this is not the first time that the Iraqi government has asked American forces to leave. In 2009, former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki asked American forces to withdraw within three years. After long discussions, the United States complied with a possible training mission, but by 2011 it had withdrawn all its forces. But the forces were called in again in 2014 under the formula of the international coalition against ISIS, which includes other forces from NATO countries.[/size]
[size=45]ISIS militants invaded large areas of Iraq in 2014 from Syria, and in June of that year they extended their control over Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq. The coalition's western air support, which was often coordinated with Counter-Terrorism Service forces and elite Iraqi forces, played a vital role in the military campaign to reclaim territory from ISIS. On the other hand, analysts warn that history may repeat itself if American forces are again withdrawn from the country. Meanwhile, recent coalition reports published by the Inspector General of US Forces warned that many of these problems still exist, especially with regard to logistical matters and fears of the possible return of threats from ISIS or other similar terrorist groups in the event of the withdrawal of US forces.[/size]
[size=45]David Whitty, a former American Special Forces officer who worked with Iraqi Special Forces officers and now serves as an expert in security cooperation, warned in an interview with The National news website that the current training Iraqi forces are receiving at the hands of coalition forces advisors may be too limited to develop their capabilities. To protect the country.[/size]
[size=45]Security expert Wati said: “There is no contact with the Iraqi security forces except through the Ministry of Defense, and this is not encouraging.” Describing what the coalition calls the “operational level” of cooperation that focuses on overseeing operational planning only rather than assisting infantry in the decisive phase of combat with the enemy. He advises that American forces continue to train Iraqi forces on the same approach in training counter-terrorism forces that were participating in joint units that included Iraqi and American forces.[/size]
[size=45]Security expert Waty fears that without continued training, old problems are likely to resurface, undermining Baghdad's ability to stand up to ISIS or other security threats.[/size]
[size=45]He added, “We saw this happen after 2011, and I fear a repeat of what happened with the reappearance of ISIS threats.”[/size]
[size=45]• About The Art Street and The National News[/size]
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