Muammar Faisal Kholi
In the midst of the battle to liberate Mosul from the grip of the organization Daesh led by the Iraqi government and with the participation of the international coalition led by the United States ,White House announced on 6 March that the US president, Donald Trump has signed a new executive order on banning of the immigration, excludes Iraqis from the travel ban. The White House official pointed out that Iraq was deleted from the list of countries contained in the First Executive Order of January 27; because the Iraqi government has imposed new check procedures, such as increased the control over travel visas, exchange data, and because of its cooperation with the United States in order to fight al Daesh.
For its part, the Iraqi government welcomed that decision which the Iraqi Foreign Ministry praised it considering the decision as “a step in the right direction,” and the ministry spokesman Ahmed Jamal said in a statement: “The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its deep satisfaction with the executive decision of the US president, Donald Trump, which included Iraqis exception of the travel ban to the United States of America. ” Jamal added : “The decision is an important step in the right direction which reinforces the strategic alliance between Baghdad and Washington in many areas, particularly the fight against terrorism.”
we wonder here: about the dimensions of the US decision?
The decision gave a new indication of the amount of interest of the United States in the era of administration of Trump to Iraq and its desire to take the main arena for political and military action , and a platform to restore the US declining role in the Middle East and fight its opponents there led by the Iranian regime, where a series of wrong US policies have enabled it to become a key player in the Iraqi arena. and practically seizing control on its destiny and then to Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, and the escalation of its military , missile and nuclear strength , which made the United States control over Iraq and the region is shrinking to become a partnership status quo with Russia , a key actor in the skies and the seas, media and Internet piracy and the Iranian regime in control of the details of things of the areas of its expanding influence . The new Trump’s decision also removes a procedural obstacles in front of communication between Washington and Baghdad at a time where they share a war against the organization Daesh in Mosul, and Washington is trying to actively participate in the development of the post-war arrangements.
But more importantly, in the resolution it eliminates the embarrassment for Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and relieves pressure off him by his partners in the government, specifically the party leaders and Shi’ite militias loyal to the Iranian regime, which has taken to put Iraqis on the list of ban from entering the United States a platform to attack the rapprochement with Washington. The decision has come to pull the rug from strong reactions made by the Iraqi political and military parties to carry the tone of the threat, such as «the popular crowd» who demanded to prevent the entry of Americans in order to safeguard the dignity of the Iraqi people, who fights terrorism.
It seemed that the decision was like a direct response to the request of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who said that he contacted the Trump during the telephone conversation that took place two weeks ago, which means that the prime minister has gained a favor and attention by the US administration and it will not be left alone to face the internal and external pressures . It was clear since the advent of Management of Trump to power in the United States that Haider Abadi was the subject of a US concentrated political and diplomatic effort to induce and attract him outside the circle of loyalists to the Iranian regime, which it was known by the rulers of Iraq since the fall of the Baath regime in 2003.
It is understood from this decision that the United States policy is the real sponsor of the Iraqi political system, they do not like the loss of Iraq, so to prevent the Iraqis from the entry to its territory it means for the Iraqi politicians and citizens that they are not welcome in the United States, creating a chill in bilateral relations and gives clear evidence of the US failure for the success of its political experience in Iraq, which is in the ultimate interest of the Iranian regime to strengthen its control over Iraq. So the exemption order came to respond to the declining role of the United States in the Middle East, where it became clear that there is a great gradual rise of Russia, which began to expand politically, military and media outside the immediate surroundings of the ex-Soviet republics and down to the Mediterranean, where it intensify its influence in Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, and its long hand has become able to influence the US election itself, which took the form of unfolding scandals continuously pursuing Trump management, and ongoing concerns in Europe from the Russian media and espionage influence.
The resolution gives a clear indication that Iraq still has military , security and intelligence significance in the political decision-makers in Washington, and the best evidence of this, the US military bases deployed in Iraq beyond 2003, as the Assad base and the bases of Balad and Taji and Habbaniyah and the base of Qayrah , and a base in Erbil Airport , airport of Baghdad and Airport of Hareer , and the base of the camp Ba’shiqah and Karam near Hamdania and the base of Mosul Dam, and in the near future the United States of America may have other military bases in Spyker, Kirkuk and Tal Afar. The importance of these bases to ensure its control on the roads towards Syria and serve as a curtain to prevent free communication between the Iranian regime and its ally Syria through Iraqi territory.
The political analysts who are concerned to the Iraqi issue considered the decision of Iraqi exemption from the ban on entry of American States will work to strengthen the US-Iraqi relations at all levels, and will pave the way for their partnership strategy noting that the Resolution has political dimensions related to creating the appropriate conditions for the distinct American Iraqi relationship post-organization Daesh that is looming from behind the ongoing battle dust in Mosul, a stage that the Trump management is aspiring to restore through it the eroded Washington’s influence in Iraq and the Middle East.
From this decision , it seems that the retreat policy pursued by former US President Barack Obama’s administration has participated in the consolidation of the Iranian regime’s influence in Iraq, which represents a significant weight center. This influence has also contributed in strengthening or the steadfastness of his ally, the Syrian regime , this policy has wrapped up its page with the decisions of President Donald Trump management toward Iraq, most recently allowing Iraqis to enter the United States of America. Trump management perspective, the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq under former President Barack Obama made a strategic mistake that made billions of dollars of the United States which has been spent in Iraq – according to what was said by Trump himself – in vain and recorded for the benefit of the Iranian regime. Just as Iraq was the starting point of Iranian influence since the US invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003, and gradually it turns into the land of the final battle, which will reshape the balance of power on new bases in the Middle East. Iraq is the essence of the new US strategy aimed to return to action circle and influence in the Middle East.
Translated by: Mudhaffar al-Kusairi
Rawabet Center for Research and Strategic Studies