Iraq's Prime Minster says that US troops are no longer needed to fight ISIS.

 

Iraq's Prime Minster Mustafa al-Kadhimi. The Hill/Getty.

Iraq's Prime Minster Mustafa al-Kadhimi says that US troops are no longer needed to fight ISIS. The Hill. He said there was no longer any need to for combat troops but said the government would welcome trainers and intelligence troops. Al-Kadhimi is going to meet with Joe Biden this week to discuss the withdrawal of US combat troops. They had reached an agreement to withdraw combat troops last April but did not discuss a timeline. 

My Comment:

I agree with the Prime Minster, I don't think there is any real reason for US combat troops to remain in Iraq. ISIS is now long gone, they have been pretty much completely destroyed. There aren't really any other major threats remaining in Iraq with ISIS gone. We don't really don't have anything to fight there.

I do think that the 2nd Iraqi withdrawal will do better than our current withdrawal in Afghanistan. That country is a basketcase and it's clear that the Taliban will take the country over. There is no threat of that in Iraq. Their government has been effective in confronting ISIS and like I said ISIS is mostly destroyed. 

Plus we will keep some troops there. They won't be combat troops but intelligence and training troops. These troops will be at low risk and will help the Iraqis keep hold of their country. It makes sense to keep these troops there as they will actually be doing something and they will be able to help ensure that ISIS never returns. 

Is that even possible now? I kinda doubt it. ISIS was able to take over much of Iraq due to the chaos in Syria. Even that war has calmed down now and there really isn't a foreign base for ISIS fighters to come from. Indeed, ISIS is basically gone everywhere except in Afghanistan and Egypt, not counting affiliates like Boko Haram in Nigeria. 

I am glad that we are finally getting out of these countries. We spent 20 years in Afghanistan and almost as long in Iraq and have very little to show for it. And our efforts in Libya and Syria were even worse, making bad situations horrible. I would love to have a few years of peace.

That being said I don't trust the Biden administration at all. These withdrawals from Afghanistan and Iraq are mostly just inertia from the Trump administration. I still consider Biden a war monger and wouldn't be surprised if he gets us into a new conflict...