Iraq's Prime Minister Announces Plans to End US-led Military Coalition Presence

Move Follows US Drone Strike, Amid Fears of Potential ISIS Resurgence and Increasing Domestic Criticism

Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has announced plans to end the presence of the American-led military coalition in Iraq, following a US drone strike that killed an Iraqi military leader.
The move has been interpreted as an attempt to appease angry parties within the governing Shi'ite coalition, who have been increasingly critical of the US presence since tensions escalated after a Hamas attack in October.
Experts fear that the withdrawal of US and international forces could leave the Iraqi military struggling to maintain peace, as they continue to have key weaknesses in mission planning, intelligence, artillery, and logistics capability.
The US presence in Iraq also supports American operations in Syria, and a departure from Iraq could make US bases in Syria unsustainable, potentially allowing for a resurgence of ISIS within 12 to 24 months.
In the US, bipartisan voices are calling for troops in Iraq and Syria to be withdrawn, arguing that the mission of defeating ISIS should have expired years ago and that the continued presence of troops risks a catastrophic loss of American life.