Baghdad readies for post-coalition era

The article discusses Iraq's preparations for the post-withdrawal phase of American troops scheduled for September 30. Baghdad aims to conclude its mission with the international coalition against ISIS and to ensure that weapons are exclusively under state control. Officials emphasize that Iraqi forces have gained extensive experience in counter-terrorism, and that the relationship with Washington will shift from a presence of combat troops to bilateral cooperation in training, equipment, and intelligence sharing, ensuring that the withdrawal does not impact security cooperation. Additionally, the government is working on enacting a law to regulate weapon possession and eliminate unauthorized arms outside state control, as the campaign to contain weapons continues—some armed factions oppose surrendering their arsenals. The main challenges Iraq faces after the withdrawal are the ability to enforce security decisions, complete weapons unification, and maintain a balanced international relations stance, all while reaffirming ongoing non-combat security and intelligence cooperation with Washington.

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