U.S. and Iraqi officials have gathered at the Pentagon to engage in crucial discussions. Regarding the future of the global coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq. The meeting is about planning a change from the current coalition mission to a strong and lasting security partnership between the two countries. Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said this talk shows both nations’ commitment to improving their security relationship. This is happening as they near the 10-year mark of their military involvement in Iraq.
Joint Security Cooperation Dialogue
The Joint Security Cooperation Dialogue (JSCD) will keep going until tomorrow. It builds on the progress from the Higher Military Commission (HMC). The HMC was set up after President Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister al-Sudani met in April. This dialogue aims to strengthen the security partnership between the U.S. and Iraq and is a key step in their joint fight against ISIS. Ryder highlighted that this dialogue is important for smoothly moving from coalition operations to a new partnership phase.
Diverse Delegations
The U.S. team at the Pentagon has top people from Central Command, the Joint Staff, the State Department, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and the National Security Council. The Iraqi team includes officials from Iraq’s Ministry of Defense, armed forces, Counterterrorism Service, and the Kurdish Peshmerga. This shows how important the talks are for handling security issues in the region. A full summary of the decisions will be shared after the meetings. This will explain what’s next for the coalition and their partnership.
Assessing ISIS Threat and Iraqi Security Capabilities
The Higher Military Commission is checking how well ISIS is operating and how effective Iraqi security forces are against ISIS. The Joint Security Cooperation Dialogue will use these findings and recommendations.
The focus will be on how to improve the coalition’s mission. And how the U.S. and Iraq can boost their security teamwork. Ryder said these checks are important for planning their future efforts. Which would make sure both countries are ready for ongoing and new threats.
U.S. and Israeli Defense Discussions
In a related update, Ryder disclosed that Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III engaged in two conversations over the weekend with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. These discussions followed recent Israeli military actions against Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. This was prompted by Houthi attacks on Tel Aviv that resulted in casualties.
Austin showed U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself and mentioned the ongoing Houthi attacks. Ryder explained that U.S. forces were not part of the Israeli operation. Although Austin only got a brief update about it. This support shows the strong security relationship between the U.S. and Israel. Thus highlighting the complicated security situation in the Middle East.
Future Implications
As the meetings go on, the decisions made will be important for shaping the future of the coalition’s mission. Along with the security cooperation between the U.S. and Iraq. The discussions aim to tackle the immediate problems with ISIS and also to help create a stable and safe region. The outcomes of these deliberations will be pivotal in determining how effectively the U.S. and Iraq can work together to combat terrorism and promote regional stability.