Hawzah News Agency- Rasul Radi, a former member of the Iraqi parliament, told a news outlet that the United States remains the invisible hand guiding both political decision-making and military affairs in the country, according to a report published by the Hawzah News Agency.
“Sovereignty remains incomplete under Washington’s dominance and its interference in Iraqi decisions,” Radi said, adding that the departure of US troops does not equate to the realization of full Iraqi sovereignty.
The former legislator pointed to the continued presence of a US presidential envoy in Baghdad—referring to Ambassador Thomas Barrack—as evidence that Washington’s grip has not loosened. Barrack has been actively meeting with Iraqi officials, including Foreign Minister and Prime Minister, in recent months.
Radi further argued that the core problem lies in the Iraqi government’s inability to break free from the American decision-making framework. He specifically highlighted the Ministry of Defense’s constrained ability to independently negotiate arms deals and contracts with other nations to equip Iraq’s security forces.
“The government has still not addressed the file of American control over Iraqi decisions and the arming of security institutions,” Radi said, warning that the defense ministry’s budget allocation may be insufficient to modernize the armed forces and fill critical gaps in the country’s air defense systems.
The remarks come amid a broader debate over the true extent of Iraq’s sovereignty following the formal end of the US-led coalition’s military mission. While the US military completed its withdrawal from bases in Iraq in late September 2026 under a 2024 agreement, critics argue that Washington has simply shifted from a visible military footprint to an invisible political and bureaucratic leash.
Iraqi political observers have repeatedly noted that US envoys continue to wield enormous influence over cabinet formation and security policy. Earlier reports indicated that Washington pressured Baghdad to delay filling key ministerial posts—particularly the defense and interior portfolios—as leverage to force concessions on disarming resistance factions.
Radi’s comments echo long-standing grievances among Iraqi resistance groups and sovereigntist politicians who argue that the American withdrawal was cosmetic rather than substantive. While the Pentagon has pulled its combat brigades out of bases like Ain al-Asad and Erbil, the US has maintained a massive diplomatic presence—including what media previously reported as the world’s largest consulate in Erbil—and continues to exercise leverage through arms sales, training programs, and intelligence-sharing arrangements.
The former MP’s critique underscores a fundamental paradox of post-withdrawal Iraq: a country that has formally regained control of its military bases but still finds its strategic decisions hostage to Washington’s priorities. For Radi and like-minded critics, the ballot box and the parade ground mean little if the levers of power remain wired to a foreign capital.
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