The United States and Iran are frequently at odds, most recently over Iran’s nuclear program and its backing of the Syrian regime. But when it comes to Iraq, they’ve recently had a common agenda.
Both Washington and Tehran supported the Iraqi government during the fight against the Islamic State, and they both stood with Baghdad to curb the Kurdistan Region’s independence bid in September 2017. But now, the conflict between Washington and Tehran is threatening to spill over and damage Iraq’s delicate internal stability, just at a time when we need stability more than ever.
Iraqis by and large are grateful to the U.S. for its sacrifices in overthrowing the former regime of Saddam Hussein, and were grateful once again when U.S. soldiers fought alongside the Iraqi Army, Peshmerga, and police during the three-year campaign to liberate Iraq’s cities and countryside from ISIS.
Nevertheless, we value Iraq’s independence and sovereignty and do not want it to become merely a field of competition between Iran and the U.S. We are sick of war, displacement, and sectarian violence. Following the defeat of ISIS in Iraq, our priorities are to rebuild our shattered infrastructure, improve public services, and create some measure of harmony in our divided society.
That is why it President Donald Trump’s recent statement that the U.S. mission in Iraq would shift from fighting terrorism to “watch[ing] Iran” are distressing.
The Strategic Framework Agreement that the U.S. signed with Iraq enables the U.S. military to operate on Iraqi soil. It specifies that “The United States shall not use Iraqi land, sea, and air as a launching or transit point for attacks against other countries; nor seek or request permanent bases or a permanent military presence in Iraq.”
Trump’s comments run dangerously close to violating the spirit, if not the letter, of this agreement. They suggest not only activities that would confront Iran, our eastern neighbor, but also hostile engagement with the government of Syria to our west, as well as with Hezbollah, one of the most important political parties in Lebanon.
The Strategic Framework Agreement can only be changed by mutual consent of Iraq and the U.S. Any unilateral decision by Washington to shift the mission or deployment of U.S. forces in Iraq would be catastrophic. But there is a way to prevent that.
First, the Trump administration should treat Iraq as a respected strategic ally. Acting unilaterally undermines that relationship and, in doing so, could harm the ability of the administration to pursue its strategic policy goals.
Second, the administration should work with Baghdad to reinvigorate the Strategic Framework Agreement and strengthen bilateral relations in a post-ISIS context. This should primarily focus on economic and trade cooperation, as there is much to be gained by both America and Iraq from robust economic ties.
Third, the administration should respect Iraq’s neutrality with regard to U.S.-Iran tensions. Iraq values its relationships with both powers and placing too much pressure on one end of the scales could affect an increasingly delicate balance.
Washington is understandably concerned about the perceived threats posed by pro-Iranian militias in Iraq. But there are ways to mitigate this threat through cooperation and diplomacy with Baghdad. The Iraqi government, too, seeks to integrate the militias into a centralized command and control structure. Popular support for the militias is fading as the ISIS threat recedes. The Iraqi police and army become stronger as a result of their partnership with U.S. trainers. Many militia fighters have already returned home. But they may regain popular support if they are seen as standing up to US violations of Iraqi sovereignty.
We want the United States to see us as partners and to respect Iraqi sovereignty. We don’t want to be seen as an inferior people from a “war-torn” country. Callous disregard for protocol and diplomatic respect, like when Trump failed to meet with any senior Iraqi figures during his surprise visit over Christmas, have prompted calls for legislation in the parliament to force the Iraqi government to end the U.S. presence in Iraq.
We want to avoid that and maintain a positive, mutually beneficial relationship with the U.S. But it must be one based on respect for Iraqi sovereignty, neutrality with regard to disputes between Iran and the U.S., and economic progress.
Sarkawt Shamsulddin is a member of the Iraqi parliament and member of Foreign Affairs Committee, and senior leader of New Generation Movement.
