Iraq PM advisor on talks with US, demands ‘return to pre-ISIS era’

BAGHDAD — In an interview with the state channel, Hussein Allawi, the media advisor to the Prime Minister spoke very briefly about the resumption of negotiations between Baghdad and Washington regarding the future of military presence, stating that Iraq is ready for this phase, especially since the “body language” of the Iraqi fighter shows “great readiness” to fill the void.

What is said about the international coalition leaving a void is not true. We have, in contrast, relationships with NATO and the Quad Alliance, and what we will do is return the state to the pre-fall of Mosul stage, i.e., normal relations governed by bilateral relations whether with America or Britain, and with all the countries of the international coalition in light of strategic agreements whether the Strategic Framework Agreement or the agreement with the United Kingdom.

This was witnessed before the last two cabinet sessions, where the Foreign Minister was authorized to put an agreement with the United Kingdom for strategic cooperation in various fields including defense.

The military committee assesses 3 main technical military points: evaluating the terrorist threat of ISIS, discussing the combat readiness of the Iraqi Armed Forces, and setting a timeline for ending the presence of the international coalition on Iraqi territory.

We are now moving to the process of organizing the Iraqi Armed Forces in a normal manner, focusing on readiness and combat readiness, which Sudani will work on, linked to 3 issues:

1. The level of armament.
2. The level of expenditure.
3. The level of morale.

And you notice today that the body language of the Iraqi fighter in all our forces shows a high readiness to face terrorism, crime, and security challenges.