About the importance of Joe Biden’s visit to Baghdad

Iraq has become a country of sudden visits for the officials of US President Barack Obama’s administration in April / May , as Joe Biden, the US vice president arrived to the Iraqi capital Baghdad, on board of US military plane on Thursday, in a surprise visit that was not announced before to hold talks with Iraqi officials, Joe Biden’s office said in a statement that “the vice president arrived in Iraq for talks with the Iraqi leadership, to promote national unity and to continue the momentum of the ongoing war against al-Islamic state.” The statement added that “the vice president will also discuss steps of the international community that can be taken in order to support the stability of the Iraqi economy and more international cooperation. “

This visit constitutes a violation of the diplomatic norms and rules applicable internationally, where traditionally the visiting guest is to be received by a similar person in the host country, but the situation in Iraq is completely different, as Joe Biden was received by the US ambassador to Iraq, as happened when Ashton Carter , a Secretary of American Defense in his recent visit to Baghdad , was received by US officers in the complete absence of any Iraqi official at the reception ceremony. This is a picture of Joe Biden and before him Ashton Carter and the news were released by the US embassy in Baghdad to the news agencies that constitutes an offence to the remain of the “sovereignty” of Iraq and put the concept of independence in ridiculous place.

This visit comes at a time when Iraq is facing several crises: At the political level, particularly since last February , Iraq is in a political crisis triggered by a dispute between the parliamentary blocs on the reforms that the prime minister Haider al-Abadi wants to apply , particularly on the formation of a government of technocrats far from the partisan tugging . This crisis also was reflected in the chaos in the Iraqi parliament in recent days and the protests of thousands of supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr outside the gates of the fortified Green Zone.

this mess has contributed in the further deterioration of the confidence for the Iraqi politicians who are widely perceived as corrupt and are pursuing the interests of their families and to their tribes and communities. Iraqi Council of Representatives has granted the confidence on Tuesday to five ministers of technocrats made by al-Abadi to replace partisan ministers after an atmosphere of hoopla and objection of deputies challenged the legitimacy of the meeting. And ministries covered by the reshuffle, which represents the heart of the reforms that Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi wants to be made to end the political quota system, are the health, labor, higher education, water resources and electricity.

On the economic level, Iraq suffers from a severe economic crisis are caused by falling oil prices, since almost the first of its kind since the founding of the modern state of Iraq in the twenties of the last century, as well as the security crisis of fighting Daash and its latest developments which lies in the recent clashes between the Peshmerga and the Turkmen crowd popular in Tuz.

The importance of this visit, being the first time that Joe Biden is visiting the theorizer of the idea of dividing Iraq since the United States withdrew its military forces in December 2011, and he is the third high -ranking US official to visit Iraq this month preceded by the foreign minister John Kerry, on the eighth of this month, and Secretary of defense Ashton Carter in the eighteenth of the same month. It comes at a time when the Iraqi forces are preparing with the support of the international coalition led by the United States, to put the final touches to the restoration of the city of Mosul from the control of state regulation , “Daash.”Which is still controlled by ISIL- so far since June 2014.

The visit of Joe Biden was made to renew President Barack Obama administration’s support for Iraq and for the process of reform launched by the Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi This was done during a meeting of Joe Biden ,the US vice president with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who were met in Baghdad as the two sides discussed the latest developments in the country, especially the military gains achieved by the joint Iraqi forces against al-State in Iraq and the Levant “Daash” With the dispersion and the current political crisis. Joe Biden conveyed to Haider al-Abadi a message of support and solidarity from the administration of President Barack Obama for Iraq in all of military, economic fields and especially stressing the continuing of the comprehensive reforms march to meet the demands of the Iraqi people.

Washington is concerned that to withdraw its support to the Government of Haider al-Abadi will lead to the collapse of its ability to fight state regulation in Iraq and the Levant “Daash”, and sank amid fierce disagreements between the militant Shiite parties seeking to dominate the decision in Baghdad. It supports the Government of Haider al-Abadi because he is trying from the standpoint of US-administration to form a comprehensive and consensual government that includes all parties. It is true that Haider al-Abadi remains constrained by Shiite militias and the Iranian regime, but the United States is supporting the strategy of integration of Sunnis in the government , in addition to providing security and arms to the tribes there. The exclusion of the Sunnis will confirm fears in Washington that even if the Iraqi government succeeded in defeating al state in Iraq and the Levant “Daash”, you’ll see a more radical alternative. So it must provide assistance in the liberation of the city of Mosul, on condition that there is no role for the Shiite militias such as Asaaib Ahl al-haq and others in the process.

Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al Jubouri for his part, stressed the importance of international support for Iraq in all fields, especially in light of the current circumstances and challenges they are facing . This was made during a meeting of al-Jubouri with Joe Biden, US vice-president, who is visiting Iraq and the two sides discussed the latest political and security developments in Iraq and the region, as well to discuss the economic situation that the country is going through and the importance of supporting Iraq in this aspect.

The meeting also stressed the importance of continuing the war on the organization of the state in Iraq and the Levant “Daash” and invest the momentum of victories achieved in all fields, and from his part, Joe Biden, stressed on the need to resolve crises and disputes through dialogue, stressing the support of the Iraqi state institution and prevent the collapse of the political process and called for the continuation of the march of comprehensive reforms , which leads the country to safety and stability.

From here, it was evident that the the importance of this visit of the US official to maintain the three Fuad Masum, and Haider al-Abadi and Salim al-Jubouri, and this was confirmed by the US ambassador in Baghdad in the meeting with the Iraqi coalition , who has threatened that the United States will lift its military support for Iraq, and stop its efforts in the International Monetary Fund if the political class did not respond to the demands of Washington to keep those figures in political office. This threat makes the American administration party in the Iraqi crisis and puts it in the face of all the political forces that aspire to change, on the other hand embarrass its allies and makes them act as a senior staff that were appointed by external conformity in line to achieve the interests of the countries supporting them.

From the viewpoint of Washington that maintaining the Fuad Masum, and Haider al-Abadi and Saleem al-Jubouri that will be reflected positively on the fortunes of the Democrats in the US presidential election which will take place in November of the current year, the administration of the Democratic White House is seeking to recruit external factor to enhance their chances of success in the next election, they are concerned before going to the elections to stabilize the security and military, political and economic situation in Iraq, even in a relative way and not sliding into chaos, because this dangerous slide will not be limited to the comunity without the other or nationality alone .Washington is keen to ensure political stability in Iraq because of its direct impact on military operations and the need for a unified government to help to facilitate the missions of the international coalition led by Washington to the war against the state regulation “Daash.”

And that the United States to achieve a tangible progress with the help of its allies, Iraqis and Westerners on the ground in Iraq such as the elimination on the state regulation of state in Iraq and the Levant “Daash” because elimination will be one of the basic foundations that the Democratic Party will depend upon in its election program, noting that the deaths of Osama bin Laden in 2011, boosted second term for Barack obama, and the elimination of state regulation will enhance the continuation of the Democrats in the governance of the United States for the third time respectively, and if they achieve that then we will be in front of a precedent historical presidential precedent did not occur since the adoption of its constitution in March 1789.

It should be noted here that Joe Bade, Vice President of the Republic did not meet Fouad Masum, president of the Republic of Iraq and could only make a phone call with him to provoke the general discontent across social network for ignoring the first and second , and it is also worth mentioning here that Joe Biden visited the Kurdistan region of Iraq for two hours, during which he met with Massoud Barzani, president of the province and their talks focused on the fight against state regulation “Daash” and the requirements for the battle of Mosul and ways to support the Peshmerga.

The question in this context: Why do the United States interfere in a clear and declared way on the line of the Iraqi crisis, surpassing any political and diplomatic norms in an internal crisis that reflects the large social and political split ? Is there a consensus and sharing of influence between the US and the Iranian regime on the region? This agreement, which make Iraq an American Square in return for the control of the Iranian regime on the Syrian arena, and we do not forget that the recent actions by the US in Iraq, accompanied by Iranian actions to send troops to Syria with US approval, or at least US silence.

You can answer this question by saying that the US policy in general is interested in protecting the political process launched in Iraq since 2003, which despite many of its disadvantages and its negative repercussions on the Iraqis, it still ensure to Washington its interests in the country that has a great wealth of oil and other.

Rawabet Research and Strategic Studies Center