'America is leaving Iraq, but Iran isn't: Withdrawal a massive strategic and tactical mistake'

Erin Ogunkeye welcomes investigative journalist Bamo Nouri, an Honorary Research Fellow at City Saint George's University of London, to discuss the implications of the United States withdrawing its military presence from Iraq. Nouri argues that the end of American military involvement in Iraq marks a significant shift in the country's power dynamics, rather than merely being a formal recognition of Iraq's sovereignty.

He emphasizes that the crucial question to consider is whether Iraq possesses the necessary political cohesion, security capacity, and economic independence to effectively exercise its sovereignty.

According to Nouri, the situation in Iraq is further complicated by Iran's growing influence. He points out that Iran's presence in Iraq is not dependent on a conventional military presence, but rather through its influence on political parties, armed groups, economic networks, and financial systems. This means that even without a physical military presence, Iran retains substantial power in Iraq.

The withdrawal of American forces is expected to provide Iran-backed groups with increased room to operate within Iraq. Additionally, the Kurdish region of Iraq, which has heavily relied on American military, intelligence, and air-defense support, faces strategic uncertainty as a result of the withdrawal. Nouri believes that the removal of the American counterbalance to Iran's influence may exacerbate Iran's role in Iraq, while simultaneously making Iraq's efforts at political and economic reform more challenging.