Shafaq News..US: Iraq military mission will be reduced, not ended

Shafaq News-
Washington

The United
States and its coalition partners “will reduce” their military mission in Iraq
on September 30, a senior US administration official told Shafaq News,
describing the move as a transition to a lasting bilateral security partnership
between Washington and Baghdad.

The official
said the reduction, which follows guidance from President Donald Trump,
reflects “the combined success” of the United States and its partners in
fighting ISIS, and aligns with US national interests, the Iraqi Constitution,
and the US-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement, a 2008 accord governing
relations between the two countries.

The move is
also in keeping with Trump’s commitment to “ending wars forever,” the official added.

“This is not
the end of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. This is a transition of the
Coalition’s military mission to a more traditional bilateral security
partnership,” he said, adding that Washington will continue coordination with the Iraqi
Government and the Global Coalition members “to ensure a responsible
transition.”

The US
description differs from recent Iraqi statements about the Sept. 30 deadline.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi previously said the date is “fixed and final” for
ending the Coalition’s military mission and completing the departure of its
forces. He told US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper that Iraq would be
free of foreign military forces from Oct. 1, describing the post-withdrawal period
as “a new day for the Iraqi state.”

Washington
and Baghdad agreed in 2024 to wind down the Coalition mission under a two-phase
plan. The first phase ended in September 2025 with Coalition forces leaving
Baghdad and Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq, while forces remained in the
Kurdistan Region to support operations against ISIS in Syria.

Both
governments have said the relationship would transition toward bilateral
cooperation, including in security, economic, and development fields, while
respecting Iraq’s sovereignty.

Around 2,500 US
troops have been deployed in Iraq as part of the coalition.

Read more: The US exits Iraq: A withdrawal heralds a sovereign future

For Shafaq News, Mostafa Hashem, Washington, D.C.