Approximately, 2,500 US forces are deployed throughout Iraq as a part of the International Coalition fighting Islamic State (ISIS), serving in a training, advisory, and intelligence capacity in support of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Peshmerga.

Some of those troops are stationed in the Kurdistan Region.

Their presence is legally authorized by Iraq’s federal government.

On July 26, US President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi met for the latest round of the US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue talks, the main result of which was that the US would end its combat role and shift fully to advising and training.

Some Iraqi parties oppose their continued deployment and demand that Baghdad revoke that permission.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) supports the presence of Coalition troops, but has no legal ability to authorize it to continue if Baghdad withdraws permission.

The US government has consistently said that its presence throughout Iraq and the Kurdistan Region is predicated on that authorization.

In spite of these profound legal obstacles and the KRG’s own indications that it will follow the federal government’s lead on the matter, PUK advisor Wasta Rasool told Voice of America (VOA) that the US would stay in the Region because has established a large consulate in Erbil and needs forces to protect it.

Dedicated Marine detachments are responsible for security at US embassies regardless of size. They are not counted as deployed in the same way as soldiers participating in ongoing military operations, including Operation Inherent Resolve.

Rasool also argued that US troops would remain in the Region because it provides logistical access to their Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) partners in northeastern Syria.

He predicted that aid provided by the US for ISF and Peshmerga since 2015 will continue until 2025, but did not provide additional details about how he knew the long-term military spending plans of the Pentagon. US military spending is authorized annually by Congress through the appropriations process.

Rasool also predicted that if US forces withdraw from the Region, extremist armed groups would take control some cities and towns.

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