Will U.S. Really Plan to Withdraw Its Embassy from Iraq?

On Monday, many reports uncover that the U.S. is planning to close its embassy in Baghdad unless Iraq moves to halt all rocket attacks being launched against the American interests in the country.

According to diplomatic sources, the U.S. had officially requested the Iraqi government be forceful against militias, saying that if the latter took appropriate steps, the embassy may not be shut down.

The shutdown of the Baghdad embassy is expected to take 90 days, which a diplomat familiar with the situation revealed that this would give President Trump’s administration time to reevaluate.

On the other hand, the spokesperson for the Iraqi prime minister Mustafa Kadhimi, said that they hope the U.S. “will reconsider” its decision.

“There are outlaw groups that try to shake this relationship and closing the embassy would send a negative message to them,” he said.

It is still unclear whether the White House has approved the deal or not, but two U.S. officials said Pompeo cautioned about the possible closure of the embassy without necessary action against the militias.

“A senior official in Kadhimi’s office said that the prime minister is lobbying European partners to try to persuade the U.S. to withdraw its decision, citing the “negative consequences” that it might have on the country’s stability”

Meanwhile, rocket attacks continue against bases housing US or Coalition forces. In August, three Katyusha rockets fell in the vicinity of Baghdad International Airport.

That attack followed at least five attacks directed at US interests in Iraq within one week, including four blasts against convoys carrying supplies to bases housing US forces, a rocket attack on an air base north of Baghdad and a rocket attack near the US Embassy in the capital.

The U.S. Embassy in Iraq is situated in what is known as the “Green Zone” – an area hosting several foreign diplomatic missions and Iraqi government offices. The zone often faces rocket attacks, but usually the incidents do not result in civilian casualties or significant damage.

President Trump directed the killing of senior Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani earlier this year, sparking Iran-backed militias to launch strikes on the embassy and Iraqi military bases that hosted U.S.-led coalition troops deployed to fight ISIS.

This year, two U.S., one British and several Iraqi military members have been killed in attacks that have been traced back to Iran-backed militias.