U.S. Military Withdrawal Talks in Iraq Begin

Four sources reported on Wednesday that the United States and Iraq are set to begin talks aimed at ending the U.S.-led military coalition mission in Iraq, a step that has been hindered by the conflict in Gaza. Three sources indicated that the U.S. conveyed its readiness to start discussions to the Iraqi government in a message delivered by U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski to Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Wednesday. Furthermore, three sources noted that the U.S. dropped previous preconditions that armed Iraqi factions supported by Iran cease attacks against it first. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry stated that an important message had been received and that the Prime Minister would study it carefully, without providing further details. The talks are expected to take several months, if not longer, but their outcome is unclear, and a withdrawal of U.S. troops is not imminent. The United States has 2,500 military personnel in Iraq to advise and assist Iraqi forces in preventing the resurgence of ISIS, which seized large areas of Iraq and Syria in 2014 before being defeated later. Hundreds of military personnel from other countries, mostly European, are also present in Iraq as part of the U.S.-led coalition established to combat ISIS. The existence of this mission in Iraq is facing increasing pressure.