Officials in Baghdad have outlined what they say is an agreed-upon plan to mostly end the American military presence there. Washington describes it differently.
By Dan Lamothe, The Washington PostIraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani poses for a photo at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Feb. 17, 2024.
“I’d like to emphasize that this is an evolution of the military mission in Iraq,” a senior Biden administration official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the State Department. “We’re moving towards the type of productive, long-term security relationship the United States has with partners around the world.”
U.S. officials did affirm that the first phase of this “evolution” will end the current military mission in Iraq by September 2025. Baghdad and Washington also have “reached an understanding” in which the roughly 900 U.S. forces deployed to neighboring Syria will continue to receive support from the Iraqi side of the border through at least September 2026, the senior administration official said.The Iraqi government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the U.S.
American troops also continue to conduct periodic operations against remaining Islamic State militants. Last month, seven U.S. troops were wounded doing so in western Iraq. Both countries continue to face threats from the Islamic State, a reality highlighted by the joint raid in August that killed at least 14 militants. U.S. military officials said then that the ISIS fighters were heavily armed and seemingly prepared for a fight.
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