Biden, Iraqi prime minister set to announce drawdown of US combat troops in Iraq [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi are set to announce their US combat troops drawdown agreement.
• The US will continue to provide support through advisory training and capability building.
• Al-Kadhimi said on Sunday that there was “no need for any foreign combat forces” in Iraq.

White House, Monday — US President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi are expected to announce their agreement plans about the end of the US combat mission in Iraq.

Based on a transcript of the call issued by the White House, as told by a Biden aide, both leaders would release a “broad communiqué” about a historic agreement linked with the US military’s function in Iraq.

The agreement also concluded that Iraq would still be needing some guidance from the US.

“As this evolution continues, and as we formally end the combat mission and make clear that there are no American forces with a combat role in the country, Iraq has requested, and we very much agree, that they need continued training; support with logistics, intelligence, advisory capacity building — all of which will continue,” the official said.

The official noted that each dialogue between the US and Iraq has yielded “a communiqué and an arrangement agreement about consolidation, redeployment of forces, and there has been a consolidation.”

The official also noted that the US has trained around 250,000 Iraqi and Kurdish security troops, saying with confidence that those men are “battle-tested” and “have proven very capable in protecting their country.”

The official, however, also noted that the Islamic State terrorist group is still a threat to Iraq. The group, which was responsible for last week’s bombing in Baghdad, is one of the reasons why Iraq would still need some US reinforcements such as advisory training and capability-building.

As the US troops embraced their new role, the official said that the adjustments and changes of command would be implemented in the coming five months, the official said.

In an interview with the Associated Press released on Sunday, Al-Kadhimi said that “there is no need for any foreign combat forces on Iraqi soil.”

Last April, both countries agreed to the drawdown of US combat forces in Iraq.

In 2011, former President Barack Obama withdrew US troops but deployed them once again in 2014 following ISIS’ domination on certain territories.

Source: NBC News