Implications of the US-Led Coalition's Withdrawal from Iraq

Has the countdown begun for the withdrawal of the US-led international coalition against ISIS from Iraq?

This coalition has been present there since 2014, currently comprising around 2,500 US troops and hundreds of troops from other countries.

Recently, Iraq has witnessed mutual attacks between Islamic factions in Iraq backed by Iran and the United States. These factions seek to pressure the United States due to its support for Israel in its war on Gaza.

An Iraqi-US high military committee was formed. According to LBCI, representatives from both Iraq and the United States, including military leaders and experts, have been appointed.

According to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, this committee's mission is to assess the ISIS threat, enhance the capabilities of the Iraqi security forces, and formulate a clear and specific timeline to determine the duration of the presence of international coalition advisors in Iraq. This includes gradually reducing their presence on Iraqi soil and ending the military mission of the coalition against ISIS.

As for the United States, the mission of this committee is to discuss transitioning the coalition's mission against ISIS into a natural bilateral security partnership with Iraq rather than negotiating the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.

Does this mean that Washington will withdraw from Iraq?

Regarding the first meeting of the committee it will commence in the coming days, as confirmed by the political advisor to Iraqi Prime Minister Fadi Al-Shammari. However, the withdrawal of the international coalition will not be quick and may have consequences:

Firstly, according to Reuters, starting negotiations will contribute to easing the political pressure on the government of Mohammed al-Shia al-Sudani by the coordination framework, which includes Iran-affiliated parties.

Secondly, attacks on US forces may decrease by 75 percent, according to what an Iraqi source asserted to LBCI.