Discussion on US Withdrawal and ISIS Threat

I recall a previous conversation with you.

You said, if the Americans withdraw, what guarantees that ISIS won't return?

Do you remember that statement?

I remember, and I said it, and I repeat it now.

Even now.

I repeat the same thing.

They tell you, we have security forces, the Popular Mobilization Forces, the army, counterterrorism forces, and we have

the Peshmerga.

Perhaps I'll go back a little, to around 2011.

At that time, there were around a hundred thousand American soldiers

stationed in Iraq.

Many meetings were held in Baghdad, and I took part in many of these

meetings.

The question was whether

we should enter into a bilateral agreement with the Americans or not.

They had to leave.

At one of the meetings, at one of the meetings, everyone was there, including

the defense minister and the interior minister. I told them, brothers, it's better that we discuss

the matter.

Actually, let's ask

those who have a direct connection to the security issue.

The defense minister and the interior minister.

I think the defense minister was Ubaidi, Abdul Qader Ubaidi.

Abdul Qader Ubaidi.

And the interior minister

I think was Jawad al-Bolani, I'm not sure.

But

The important thing is, we asked them, “Mr. Minister of Defense, do you have

forces capable of protecting the country?” He said, “I swear, I have nothing at all.”

The Minister of Interior said, “I swear, I can’t protect a police station.”

He said, “Then what are we discussing?”

They insisted. It became a bidding contest.

I even remember asking the group, I told them, “Okay, if

now,

an American officer can enter this hall and arrest us all?”

I swear, someone—I don’t remember who—said, “Not an officer, even a soldier can.”

I told him, “Wouldn’t it be better to have an agreement so that, at least during this

period, the occupation ends,

we regain our sovereignty, and it becomes a bilateral agreement?”

The Americans left. ISIS came. I now fear the same scenario.

The same scenario.

The same scenario. But of course, the situation was different then.

At the time, the forces actually came, and they called themselves

an occupation and acted as an occupying force. Now the situation

is different.

In 2014, after ISIS entered,

the Iraqi government at the time begged America,

the European countries, and NATO, “Come,

for God’s sake, save us. For God’s sake, help us.”