The US administration is hesitant to discuss the presence of American forces in Iraq and Syria and has not provided clear answers regarding their future in the region.

One possible explanation is that assessments from US military and intelligence agencies regarding the overall situation in Syria and Iraq remain incomplete, Caliber.Az reports referring to recent material by Al Arabiya.

There is another reason why, according to those asking questions, the US administration feels a significant disconnect from President Donald Trump.

This issue is not about leadership but concerns the military and diplomatic decision-making chain, which feels powerless to influence President Trump’s choices. While the chain can evaluate military positions and needs, it cannot ensure a proportional response from the president.

Iraqi regional authorities have informed the US of new positions, which could be unprecedented in recent history.

The agency learned from two independent sources that the US administration was notified by the Iraqi government that it wished for American troops to remain in Iraq and intended to cancel the agreement between Washington and Baghdad, which had called for the withdrawal of US forces by September next year in its first phase.

This significant shift in the position of the Iraqi government is attributed to the ongoing turmoil in Syria. Previously, the Iraqi government had demanded that the Biden administration reach an agreement on the withdrawal of US troops. Baghdad may have been under domestic pressure, influenced by Iran, the growing power of pro-Iran militias, and the looming prospect of Iraq becoming a battleground between the "Iranian axis" and the US.

The situation has since changed: the Biden administration is no longer in power, the Assad regime is gone, Iranian militias have withdrawn from Syria, and a new government has taken charge in Damascus.

The general sentiment among Pentagon and State Department officials, concerned with the deployment of US troops, reflects memories of the persistent phone calls between President Trump during his first term and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In those calls, the American president agreed to the Turkish plan, which included the withdrawal of US troops. After these conversations, Trump was able to say, "This is a regional issue, and the countries of the region must solve their problems. American soldiers should return home, and we will save the money from the American treasury that we are wasting abroad."

By Tamilla Hasanova

Source: caliber.az