Foreign Policy .. The crisis is at its height and at a crossroads ... Will Iraq and America succeed in saving their faltering partnership?

The American Foreign Policy magazine tackled the strained relations between Washington and Baghdad 17 years after the American invasion of Iraq, and said that the upcoming talks between the two countries scheduled for next June might be the last opportunity to save this faltering partnership.

The writer John Hana says in a report published by the magazine that the United States and Iraq will launch a strategic dialogue that is supposed to address all issues that marred their bilateral relations, including the presence of American forces on Iraqi soil.

The writer believes that in light of the current dependence of the United States on Iraq as a focal point in the escalating confrontation between it and Iran, it is difficult to ignore the fact that the crisis of relations between Washington and Baghdad is now reaching its climax and is at a crossroads, and this is positive, and the administration of President Donald Trump must take The right decision in this regard.

The author believes that the time has come for Washington to re-evaluate its policy toward Iraq, because over the past year this relationship has been increasingly faltering from the perspective of American interests, indicating that Iraqi security forces brutally killed hundreds of innocent civilians after they went out to protest peacefully against failed policies To the government.

According to the author, Iran has been using the Iraqi economy to avoid US sanctions, and worse still, Iranian-backed militias - some of which are subject to US sanctions, and most of which receive funding from the government in Baghdad - have carried out numerous missile launches against US military, diplomats, and private company employees. American, while the Iraqi government is unable to hold it accountable.

The opposite trend
and the writer says that this situation cannot continue, as since 2003 the United States has provided Iraq with hundreds of millions of dollars in economic and military support, in addition to important diplomatic support, pointing out that this aid was built in the hope that Iraq will rise over time And it plays an essential role in maintaining stability and security in the Middle East, but instead the Iraqi government today is heading in the exact opposite direction, as it practices horrific levels of violence against its people, and stands idly by while Iran permits its borders, institutions and economy.

The author believes that the next strategic dialogue provides an opportunity that may be the last, to reverse the direction of this devastating path and save the long-term partnership between the two countries, and therefore this opportunity must not be missed.

The writer stresses the need for the Trump administration to impose strict conditions before providing any support to Iraq, especially as the Corona virus has put new pressure on the American budget, and all external support that will be provided in the coming period will be subject to serious evaluation and be linked to bringing tangible benefits to the United States, and not It is in Iran's interest as it is in Iraq.

The author states that the US government is seeking this year to secure $ 600 million to help train and equip the Iraqi security forces in its war against the remnants of the Islamic State, along with other important contributions the US military is making to combat terrorism in Iraq, in terms of logistical, intelligence, and military aviation support, The US administration also plans to secure $ 120 million to support the Iraqi economy, and it is also ready to help this country obtain billions of dollars in economic support from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Irreplaceable support The author warns that this American support is irreplaceable, and Iran in particular is unable to replace the United States and secure all these sums and aid, so Washington's abandonment of the Iraqi government will make it head directly towards the disaster, especially in light of the price collapse Oil, which represents 90% of the income of the Iraqi budget.

The author says that these calculations strengthen the American position in the talks that will take place next month, and they are ready to use all these papers to pressure, as Washington may hint at the option of sanctions against Iraq in the event that it continues to be subject to Iranian domination, as Iraqi officials may be subject to travel ban measures Freezing assets, as well as wounding strikes against militia leaders.

The writer says that in exchange for the support that may continue to be provided to Iraq, the United States must present limited and realistic demands, as Iraq in all cases is not in a position to go to war with Iran, and Baghdad will not move to eliminate militias overnight, and all that can be requested For the time being, he is insisting that the Iraqi government take concrete steps to protect its sovereignty and respond to American concerns.

In economic terms, the Iraqi government needs to work alongside its American counterpart to stifle the methods that Iran uses to manipulate the sanctions imposed on it, especially its export of oil through Iraq and its access to dollars from this country.

On the military level, the United States needs to obtain guarantees that the Iraqi government will make serious efforts to end attacks against American diplomats and military personnel, not only to condemn them, but to use intelligence and security capabilities to prevent them and punish the perpetrators.