ASSESSMENTS

The U.S. Strategy in Iraq Could Come Back to Bite

undefined and Senior Middle East and North Africa Analyst at RANE
Emily Hawthorne
Senior Middle East and North Africa Analyst at RANE

Apr 6, 2020 | 19:35 GMT

An image of cracked, painted picture of the U.S. and Iraqi flags illustrates the two countries' decaying relationship due to Washington's ongoing pressure campaign and proxy battle against Iran.  

An image shows the U.S. flag intersecting with the Iraqi flag. Against the backdrop of the low oil prices and the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington’s emboldened push to rid Iraq of Iran's economic and military influence risks further damaging its already fragile relations with Baghdad. 

(au_uhoo/Shutterstock)

Iraq has become a hot theater for escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, with Iran-backed Iraqi militias attempting to force U.S. military forces out of the country via ongoing attacks. The United States has responded by repositioning its troops instead of withdrawing them, highlighting its continued priority of ensuring Iraqi stability. But against the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis, Washington’s intensified pressure campaign against Iran’s regional proxies and economic ties risk backfiring by throwing Iraq deeper into chaos....

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