US pledges to reduce Iraq troops as tensions ease

In a joint statement, the United States said that the reason for its military’s return to Iraq in 2014 — defeating extremists from the Islamic State group — had made major headway.

Due to coronavirus travel restrictions, top-level talks expected to take place in Baghdad were demoted to a brief online kick-off session.Tensions have calmed substantially since Mustafa Kadhemi — an ex-spy chief with close ties to the US and its allies in the region — took the reins as Iraq’s premier in May.Two Iraqi officials said Kadhemi has been invited to the White House this year, a diplomatic olive branch his predecessor Adel Abdel Mahdi had never received.

The United States said it would look to encourage investment and promote economic reform in Iraq, which was rocked last year by major protests against unemployment and corruption. After Kadhemi took charge, the United States extended a waiver from American sanctions to let Iraq keep importing needed gas from Iran, although the exemption runs out in September.

“Whatever comes out of the dialogue is going to set the future of our strategic relationship,” a top American official from the coalition told AFP.Other coalition countries are watching closely.

That’s a bloody lie from the U.S. They will be there in perpetuity because that’s how lunacy works. Besides another election gimmick here.

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