US eyes tactical withdrawal from Middle East to focus on China
Experts say that the United States views China as a top strategic threat and therefore the Americans can reduce their presence in parts of the Middle East, even if such a move could be to the benefit of Iran.
Saturday 10/04/2021
Iran’s Navy officers line up to welcome the Chinese Navy destroyer as it makes a landfall at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. (AFP)
WASHINGTON – Last month, a special team consisting of 15 Pentagon senior officials began working on developing a comprehensive plan to prepare American forces, deployed in various parts of the world, for a possible mission to confront China’s threat.
A U.S. soldier at the Qayyarah air base in northern Iraq in March 2020 the United States has agreed in talks with Iraq to remove all remaining combat forces deployed to fight Islamic State extremists, although U.S. forces will still provide training Photo: AFP/File world
U.S. pledges Iraq troop withdrawal but without timeline Today 05:19 am JST Today | 07:31 am JST WASHINGTON
The United States committed Wednesday to move all remaining combat forces from Iraq, although the two sides did not set a timeline in what would be the second withdrawal since the 2003 invasion.
The first strategic dialogue with Iraq under U.S. President Joe Biden s administration comes as Iranian-linked Shiite paramilitary groups fire rockets nearly daily at bases with foreign troops in hopes of forcing a U.S. exit.
Thursday, 8 April, 2021 - 10:45
US soldiers in Baghdad, Iraq (Reuters) Washington - Muath Alamri
While Washington and Baghdad failed in specifying a date for US forces exiting Iraq, the two countries were able to focus on key issues like healthcare, investment, security, energy, education and counterterrorism during their third round of strategic dialogue.
In a joint statement on the US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue released by the US State Department, both Washington and Baghdad reaffirmed the principles agreed upon by the two countries in the Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA), which was signed in 2008.
“The US reaffirmed its respect for Iraq’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and relevant decisions of the Iraqi legislative and executive authorities,” read the statement.
But the two sides have not set a timeline for the pull-out
The U.S. on Wednesday committed to move remaining forces from Iraq, although the two sides did not set a timeline in what would be the second withdrawal since the 2003 invasion.
The first “strategic dialogue” with Iraq under U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration comes as Iranian-linked Shiite paramilitary groups fire rockets nearly daily at bases with foreign troops in hopes of forcing a U.S. exit. The two nations agreed in a videoconference led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein that Iraqi forces were ready to take on more responsibility.
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