[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 129 (Thursday, July 22, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5028-S5029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, now on one final matter, next week, 
President Biden is set to meet with Prime Minister of Iraq Mustafa al-
Kadhimi. The meeting comes at an important moment for our shared 
efforts toward peace and security in Iraq and the entire region.
  ISIS has been significantly weakened in Iraq and Syria after years of 
shared efforts, but the terrorist organization remains a grave threat. 
And ISIS is far from the only threat Iraqis and the Iraqi Government 
are facing. For years, Iran has systematically sought to undermine 
Iraq's sovereignty. Iran's well-armed proxy of militias report to 
Tehran, not Baghdad, but they operate inside Iraq.
  These groups have conducted campaigns of intimidation and 
assassination against peaceful protesters and independent journalists 
in Iraq, the same brutal methods they employ in Syria, Lebanon, and in 
Iran itself. These Iranian-backed militias are also threatening our own 
American interests in Iraq. Iran wants to pick fights with a superpower 
while making the nation of Iraq bear the risk.
  The fact is, the United States is in Iraq at the invitation of their 
government. We are there to support the

[[Page S5029]]

Iraqis and to help the Iraqis kill terrorists and defend their 
sovereignty. Our presence in Iraq also helps our operations in Syria 
against ISIS and al-Qaida.
  Again, it is pretty obvious the terrorist threat is not over. 
Remember, the disastrous withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan may 
not simply be felt in that country; a Taliban victory and resurgence of 
al-Qaida could embolden jihadists all over the world, just as the rise 
of ISIS did in the wake of President Obama's withdrawal from Iraq.
  As we watch Afghanistan descend into chaos and ISIS continue to lash 
out in Iraq and Syria, now is not the time for either the United States 
or Iraq to pretend that our shared mission is over. As I have warned 
again and again, terrorists don't observe our political timetables. 
They don't pack up just because we lose faith or lose focus.
  So let's hope this administration is already learning from their 
mistakes in Afghanistan. When the Iraqi Prime Minister visits next 
week, the White House should provide strong assurances that the United 
States will stand strong with our friends and continue to support our 
partners who are standing up to terror and to extremism.

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