Inability to Maintain Military Bases Indicates Decline of US: Iraqi Scholar

The fifth meeting on “The Future of post-American Iraq” from a series of preliminary meetings of the 2nd International Conference on “the Decline of the United States: The Post-American World”, was held by the Secretariat of the International Conference on the Post-American World, attended by some Iraqi scholars.

During the meeting on “The Future of post-American Iraq” from a series of preliminary meetings of the 2nd International Conference on “the Decline of the United States: The Post-American World”, Professor of Kufa University Dr. Fazel Javad Al-Hilalihas refered to two perspectives on the presence or absence of the United States in Iraq, saying, “The first group believes that a balanced stance should be taken towards the US presence in Iraq, because the presence of this country can be beneficial. However, the second group believes that the United States and all the occupiers should leave Iraq and we should put an end to the American presence in all military and political dimensions.”

He went on to say that the first perspective is wrong, that is, the ineffectiveness of the American presence can be clearly seen in the signs of this presence, to answer whether Americans are useful or harmful, several questions should be answered.

“Has the US presence helped Iraq’s dignity or changed the situation in Iraq? Has it strengthened the security, economic, political or cultural stability of this country or has it weaken them? Signs of the US presence not only in Iraq but also in the region has proven that it has brought nothing but harmful consequences, numerous problems, chaos and insecurity. Therefore, the presence of America in the region must end,” he continued.

Referring to the failure of US slogans for creating security and stability in the region, as a factor for ending the US presence in Iraq, Dr. Al-Hilali then added, “Resistance groups believe that the US failed in the slogan of fighting ISIS and this presence has resulted in humiliation of Iraq, martyrdom of Iraqi forces, including prominent Resistance commanders such as Hajj Qassim Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes. This group believes that interaction with the East should be increased, and by strengthening economic Silk Road trade, the scope for economic cooperation with China should be increased so that the gap left by the US absence in the region is filled.”

This Iraqi affairs researcher spoke about the defeat of the perspective of those who have adopted a balanced view on the presence of the United States to resolve the crisis and continued, “The proponents of the presence of the United States believe in a balanced approach; There is no common ground among Iraqi officials, and this problem has spread to foreign policy and brought problems.”

“So there must be a balance in the approach to the US presence. But this policy of balance has failed and we must move towards a policy of overcoming the crises. this is possible only by the jihadist groups and the Iraqi resistance. The upcoming elections in Iraq will help us to reform our future policies towards the United States and move the country towards overcoming these crises,” he added

He also considered the interaction of the Resistance groups and Shiite groups of Iran and Iraq as a prerequisite for the success of the policy of resolving the crises and said, “The success of this strategy depends on developing cooperation with the East, increasing collaboration with China, and also establishing interaction and cooperation centered on resistance groups led by Iran, which can fill the US presence gap.”

“Economic crises” have accelerated the end of the US presence in the region

In the second part of the meeting, Dr. Haitham Khaz’ali, a political researcher and analyst, pointed to the reduction in the number of military bases in the region as a sign of the decline of the United States, saying, “The United States has dominated Iraq politically, culturally and militarily. Most of the US military bases in the region are based in Iraq. After Biden came to power, the Americans tried to reconsider their military presence in the region. This is due to the economic crisis and the heavy costs that military bases have imposed on America.”

He pointed to the weakness of the United States in its close economic competition with China as another factor in reducing its presence in the region.

“The countdown to the withdrawal from Iraq is in line with this, and it is also because of the heavy financial costs that this presence has placed on the United States. The main reason for this presence was the protection of the Zionist regime, however, the efforts of the resistance groups have broken this domination,” he added.

According to this political researcher, China seeks to develop its civilization and the Silk Road, and the US-China economic war that has weakened the America has forced thee Americans to relinquish their sovereignty in the region through their bases.

Dr. Haitham Khaz’ali, stated that the United States, after retreating, is trying to maintain its presence and dominance in the three axes. “In the first axis, it will continue to dominate the Iraqi economy through the World Monetary Fund. With the money the World Monetary Fund has given to Iraqi banks, it has created dependence on the Iraqi economy and conditioned it.

“The second axis is to establish relations between Iraq and the countries that have normalized their relations with the Zionist regime in order to pave the ground for the Zionist regime’s dominance over the Iraqi economy and politics by making Iraq economically dependent on these countries,” he maintained, adding, “The third axis of domination is that the Americans try to dominate the main sources of the Iraqi economy through the agreements they create in order to seize the Iraqi oil and gas resources and extort money from this country. The electoral groups that are currently running in the upcoming elections in Iraq should pay special attention to this issue, and then, cancel and prevent the implementation of the agreements that endanger the prestige and the economy of Iraq.”

“We are not afraid of American cultural domination, because thanks to the richness of religious and Islamic culture, Arbaeen, as well as seminaries and Islamic bases in this country, we can rebuild Iraqi culture based on religious and cultural teachings and Islamic and Shiite rituals,” Khaz’ali added.

“Cultural pressures and the efforts of Resistance groups are pushing Americans out of Iraq and the region”, he said, adding, “Economic rivalries with China and US domestic economic crises are also pushing for an early end to their presence in the region”.

Interaction with Iran in scientific and academic fields

Referring to Iran’s role in scientific, technological and cultural interactions with Iraq, Dr. Haitham Khaz’ali said, “Dominant thinking in Iraq is close to revolutionary thinking, and the Najaf seminary can promulgate this revolutionary thinking in the region;" This propinquity has led to promotion of the thinking of Iran and the Islamic Revolution in the region. With the interaction of scientific centers, think tanks, universities and research institutes in Iran and Iraq, cultural transformation and promotion of the two countries can be achieved. Iran has prominent universities that are recognized in the world and this can help Iraq. Student exchange and academic and cultural interactions between the universities of the two countries can also be a way to promote and spread religious and revolutionary culture.”

The 2nd International Conference on “the Decline of the United States: The Post-American World” will be held on November 2, 2021, by Imam Hussein Comprehensive University and the Secretariat of the Expediency Discernment Council, in cooperation with the universities and research institutes.

For more information, interested parties can see the conference website at www.usdecline.ir and the virtual pages of the conference secretariat on social media at @usdecline.