On Monday, US President Joe Biden met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi for the first time, in his first meeting with the weakened leader, whose allegiances are torn between the US ally and pro-Iran groups at home.
The conference will focus on the presence of US soldiers in Iraq, as well as whether Baghdad has the capability to combat remaining Islamic State terrorist cells within the country’s boundaries.
According to the official toll, the IS organization claimed responsibility for a fatal suicide attack at a Baghdad market that killed 30 people just last week.
Meanwhile, US forces in Iraq have been repeatedly attacked by pro-Iran militias, who have been met with military retaliation from Washington.
As part of an anti-IS coalition, about 2,500 US troops remain in Iraq, with the possibility of additional special forces whose numbers are not publicly known.
Kadhemi wants the US to commit, at least formally, to a rethink of its role in his country, which has been decimated by a trifecta of violence, poverty, and corruption.
With three months until legislative elections, Iraq’s prime minister hopes to reclaim some ground with the country’s major pro-Iran factions, which are openly hostile to US presence.
In Iraq, the US military has only deployed advisors and trainers, therefore there are technically no combat soldiers on the ground.
Iraq is a vital strategic link for the US, which is leading an international coalition against the Islamic State organization in Syria.
