Iraq Forms ‘Military Committee’ to Schedule US Withdrawal

Iraq announced the success of negotiations with the US government to launch a Higher Military Committee to set a timetable for a phased withdrawal of the troops and ending the US-led international coalition’s presence in the country.
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the move comes "in fulfillment of its national obligations and in line with the growing capacity and efficiency of the Iraqi government," declaring the success of the ongoing negotiations with the US.
The statement explained that the negotiations concluded with the "necessity of launching the Higher Military Committee (HMC) at the level of working groups to evaluate the threat and danger of ISIS and the situational and operational requirements."
The two parties also agreed on strengthening the capabilities of the Iraqi security forces "to put a clear timeline that specifies the duration of the presence of the US-led international coalition's advisors in Iraq."
The statement added that one of the committee's goals is to start "the gradual and deliberate reduction of its advisors in Iraq , ending the military mission of the coalition against ISIS, and shifting to comprehensive bilateral relations with the coalition countries."
Iraq renewed its commitment to maintain the "safety of the international coalition's advisors during the negotiation period in all parts of the country, and maintaining stability and preventing escalation."
Earlier, the State Administration Coalition, an alliance of Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish political parties, held a meeting and called on all countries to respect Iraq's sovereignty and ensure its internal security is not threatened.
During the meeting, the coalition denounced and rejected all attacks on Iraqi territory, calling on all countries to respect Iraq's sovereignty.
The coalition affirmed its support for government efforts aimed at conducting bilateral dialogue with the international coalition to redetermine the relationship, with the end of its unique mission to assist Iraq in its war against the terrorist organization.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein discussed Spain's role in the international coalition with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares Bueno.
Spain is part of the US-led international coalition tasked with training and advising the Iraqi security forces in their fight against ISIS.
During a joint press conference at the Iraqi Foreign Ministry headquarters in Baghdad, Hussein explained that the Spanish soldiers helped Iraq In its war against ISIS.
He valued Spain's role as a member of the NATO mission and assisting the Iraqi forces.
For his part, the Spanish minister said they discussed military attacks targeting Spanish bases, adding that the two parties will hold meetings with military officials in Baghdad to discuss protecting the military forces.
- Approval after rejection
Earlier, local media reported that Washington had yet to respond to Iraq's request regarding the activation of the bilateral committee to begin the US withdrawal from Iraq, which Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani had announced on Jan. 04.
Sudani chaired a meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security, during which the latest developments in the security situation in Iraq were discussed.
The talks focused on the recent attacks in Iraq, constituting a flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty. It emphasized taking all necessary political, diplomatic, and security measures to protect Iraq's sovereignty and preserve its security.
- Withdrawal scenario
Political science professor at al-Nahrain University Yassin al-Bakri stated that the timing of the message, its circumstances, and the way it was announced suggest that it includes strict definitions about the nature of the US presence in Iraq.
Bakri estimated that the US officials would demand clear and serious commitments regarding the protection of their advisors while holding the Iraqi government responsible for the security, political, and economic repercussions.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that US demands mean Iraq may pay the price.
He explained that it was essential to consider how political forces would view a tense relationship with the US.
It is clear that there is no consensus on the withdrawal request, said the expert, noting that Sunnis and Kurds want the US forces to remain in Iraq, and there are parties within the Coordination Framework that understand the repercussions of this move.
He explained that the conflict now is between the concept of "state and non-state," linking the domestic interest with the repercussions of the escalation in Iran.

A comparison of the current human and material losses from the ongoing Hezbollah-Israel conflict with those from the July 2006 war shows that current losses have doubled.

Experts warn that the reconstruction funds and aid pledged to Lebanon 18 years ago may have limited impact once the war ends.

Total Losses

Mohammad Shamseddine, a researcher from Information International, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the death toll has risen from 900 in 2006 to 2,865 in the current conflict (as of October 31, 2024), with the number increasing daily. The number of wounded was 4,000 in 2006, but it has now exceeded 13,047.

In 2006, 600,000 people were displaced, while today that number has surpassed 1.2 million. Of these, 189,174 are in shelters. A total of 358,133 Syrians and 172,604 Lebanese have fled to Syria, and 120,000 have sought refuge in other countries.

Lebanese Economy and Trade Minister Amin Salam estimated that Lebanon’s total economic losses from the current conflict have reached $20 billion. However, economic associations report direct losses between $10 billion and $12 billion, covering damage to key sectors, homes, buildings, and infrastructure.

These figures align with estimates from Shamseddine, who believes direct and indirect losses are around $10 billion.

Of this, $4 billion occurred from October 8, 2023, to September 17, 2024 (when the conflict was mostly limited to the south), and $7 billion from September 17 to October 31, 2024, after Israel expanded the war. For comparison, losses during the 2006 war totaled $5.3 billion.

In 2006, infrastructure damage was valued at $900 million, higher than the current war's $570 million in infrastructure losses.

Housing losses in 2006 totaled $2.2 billion, while they have now surpassed $4.26 billion. Mohammad Shamseddine points out that commercial losses were similar in both conflicts, at $4.7 million.

Agricultural and environmental losses in 2006 were $450 million, but now exceed $900 million. Indirect economic damages were $1.2 billion in 2006, while they have now surpassed $3.38 billion.

One notable difference is the number of airstrikes: from October 8, 2023, to October 31, 2024, there were 11,647, compared to just 3,670 during the 33-day 2006 war.

Iraq Forms ‘Military Committee’ to Schedule US Withdrawal