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A volley of rockets targeting an US airbase in Iraqs Kurdistan region killed a foreign civilian contractor and wounded nine others including Americans in the worst attack in a year on the US-led military coalition.

The rockets were launched late on Monday from an area south of the main city Erbil near the border with Kirkuk province and also fell on some residential areas close to the airport, officials said on condition of anonymity.

The barrage was the first time in nearly two months that Western military or diplomatic installations were targeted in Iraq after a string of similar incidents last year.

The rare attack on Erbil was claimed by a little known Shia group calling itself Awliyaa al-Dam, or Guardians of Blood.

About a dozen such groups have cropped up in the past year claiming rocket attacks, but US and Iraqi security officials say they are front groups for prominent pro-Iran factions including Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al-Haq.

The American occupation will not be safe from our strikes in any inch of the homeland, even in Kurdistan, where we promise we will carry out other qualitative operations, the Awliyaa al-Dam said, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, an NGO that tracks online activity of armed organisations.

The United States reacted angrily to the base assault outside the international airport in Erbil, capital of Iraqs semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

We are outraged by last nights rocket attack in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

As always, the President of the United States and the administration reserves the right to respond and the time in the manner of our choosing. But well wait for the attribution to be concluded, Psaki added.

The US State Department said Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi about the attack on Tuesday.

Blinken conveyed his outrage and sent his condolences to the victims, spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

Blinken and al-Kadhimi also discussed efforts underway to identify and hold accountable the groups responsible for yesterdays attacks, Price said, as well as the Iraqi governments responsibility and commitment to protect U.S. and Coalition personnel in Iraq at the governments invitation to fight ISIS.

Late on Monday, Iraqi President Barham Saleh tweeted the attack marked a dangerous escalation and a criminal terrorist act.

Masrour Barzani, prime minister of the autonomous Kurdish region, condemned the assault in the strongest terms.

Coalition spokesman Wayne Marotto said 14 107mm rockets were launched near Erbil Airport in northern Iraq and three directly hit the base. He said the contractor who was killed was not Iraqi, but could not give immediate details on the victims nationality.

The airport is where foreign troops are based as part of an international alliance fighting the armed group ISIL (ISIS). It was reportedly shut down and flights were halted for safety issues.

Since Iraq declared victory against ISIL in late 2017, the coalition has been reduced to less than 3,500 troops in total, 2,500 of them Americans. Most are concentrated at the military complex at the Erbil airport.

Iran said on Tuesday it opposed any acts that harmed Iraqs security and denied suggestions by some Iraqi officials that it had any link to the little-known group that claimed responsibility.

Iran considers Iraqs stability and security as a key issue for the region and rejects any action that disturbs the peace and order in that country, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told state media. He condemned suspicious attempts to attribute [the attack] to Iran.

In December 2019, a US contractor was killed in a rocket attack on a base in Kirkuk province, prompting the US to respond with air strikes against Kataib Hezbollah. In March 2020, another rocket attack killed two Americans a soldier and a contractor and a British soldier.

Delovan Jalal, the head of the local health directorate, said at least five civilians were wounded and one was in critical condition, AFP news agency reported.

Barzani said he had spoken to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on ways to cooperate and identify the outlaws behind this terror attack.

I condemn in the strongest terms tonights rocket attacks on Erbil. I urge all Kurdistanis to remain calm, he tweeted.

Western military and diplomatic sites have been targeted by dozens of rockets and roadside bomb attacks since 2019, but most of the violence has taken place in Iraqs capital, Baghdad.

Iran-backed militia groups have been blamed for orchestrating the attacks, including the Kataib Hezbollah group.

In October, these groups agreed to an indefinite truce, but there have been several apparent violations since then, the most recent of which prior to Monday night was a volley of rockets targeting the US embassy on December 20.

The US under the previous Trump administration blamed Iran-backed groups for carrying out the attacks. Tensions soared after a Washington-directed drone strike that killed top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and powerful Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis last year.

Trump had said the death of a US contractor would be a red line and provoke US escalation in Iraq.

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Iraqi armed group vows more attacks on American ...

People inspect the area where one of the fired rockets was hit at Bahtiyari neighborhood on Monday in Erbil, Iraq. Yunus Keles/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images hide caption

People inspect the area where one of the fired rockets was hit at Bahtiyari neighborhood on Monday in Erbil, Iraq.

Updated at 10:14 p.m. ET

A civilian contractor has died, and a U.S. service member and five more contractors have been injured, in an incident on a base used by the U.S.-led coalition in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil.

The spokesman for the coalition in Iraq, Col. Wayne Marotto, tweeted that the incident was due to indirect fire, and that more information would follow. He did not identify the nationality of the contractors.

The attack hit the city of Erbil at night, people there heard explosions and sirens. Local media reported rockets fell in several areas in and around the city, and multiple people were being treated for injuries in hospital.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. is "outraged" by "these ruthless acts of violence," and offered condolences to the Iraqi people and families of the victims. He said in a written statement that the U.S. will work with Iraqi authorities to hold accountable those who are responsible.

The identity of the attackers was not immediately clear, and American forces are often targeted by forces including ISIS, but American officials including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have blamed Iran-backed groups for previous strikes on US forces in recent years.

Tensions between Iran and the U.S. have played out on Iraqi soil.

In January last year, the top Iranian commander, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, was killed in an American drone strike in Baghdad, along with the Iraqi official known as Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was seen as close to Iran. Pompeo spoke afterward of the importance of a policy of "real deterrence" against Iran. In the aftermath, Iran retaliated with a barrage of missiles targeting American soldiers on Ain Al Asad base in western Iraq. None were killed but many were later diagnosed with brain injuries.

In recent months, attacks targeting U.S. forces have become less frequent, but analysts and diplomats have suggested that Iran may now seek to test President Biden's administration in Washington.

The number of American troops in Iraq has been reduced, but there are still about 2,500 service members here.

Iraqi officials immediately expressed outrage. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in a statement called for an investigation into the attack. President Barham Saleh tweeted that targeting Erbil was a grave escalation, and undermined efforts to secure the safety of Iraqi people.

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Rockets Kill Civilian Contractor, Injure U.S. Service ...

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price answers a question during a news briefing at the department in Washington, February 9, 2021.

Olivier Douliery | Pool | Reuters

WASHINGTON The Biden administration vowed on Wednesday that there will be consequences for those behind the deadly rocket attack earlier this week in northern Iraq.

"It is fair to say that there will be consequences for any group responsible for this attack," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters during a briefing.

The attack in the city of Irbil in the Kurdistan region killed one civilian contractor and injured nine others, including a U.S. service member, according to U.S. Army Col. Wayne Marotto, spokesman for the coalition fighting ISIS.

At least three rockets hit near the civilian Irbil International Airport late Monday night, Kurdish security sources told NBC News. A nearby base houses U.S. troops.

Price's remarks Wednesday represents a slight escalation in the Biden addministration's stance on the strike. On the heels of the attack, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration was carrying out an investigation with its allies in the region. When pressed on a potential U.S. response, Psaki said that the United States "reserves the right to respond in a timely manner of our choosing."

"But we'll wait for the attribution to be concluded first before we take any additional steps. I will convey to you that diplomacy is a priority with this administration," she said, without giving further details.

The rocket attack in Iraq comes as NATO, the world's most powerful military alliance, meets to discuss coalition-led missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I expect ministers will agree to launch an expanded mission, with more allied personnel training and advising in more security institutions across the country," NATO Secretary-GeneralJens Stoltenbergsaid Wednesday.

"The mission will expand gradually in response to the situation," Stoltenberg said, adding that the NATO members had received requests from the Iraqi government.

The Pentagon is "enthusiastic about and welcomes NATO's increased focus on Iraq," a senior Defense official told reporters ahead of the NATO meeting. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, would not disclose whether the U.S. military would contribute more troops to the fight in Iraq.

The United States has 2,500 troops in Iraq and another 2,500 service members in Afghanistan.

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Biden administration warns of consequences for deadly Iraq attack - CNBC

When President Joe Biden gave his first foreign policy address two weeks ago, he didnt once mention the words Iraq or Afghanistan. But events in those two countries over the past 24 hours have offered a stark reminder to the administration that it cant forever ignore Americas forever wars.

In Iraq, rockets seemingly launched by an Iranian-backed militia on Monday killed a non-American civilian contractor at a military base in Erbil. Nine others were injured, including four US contractors and one service member, according to Col. Wayne Marotto, the spokesperson for the US-led coalition against ISIS.

And in Afghanistan, the Taliban has closed in on major cities just a few months before the scheduled departure of US forces on May 1. The insurgent group released an open letter to Americans on Tuesday, basically asking the Biden administration to trust the Taliban to lead the nation and respect human rights after the troops leave a dubious claim at best.

Even as Biden would prefer to spend most of his time addressing the coronavirus, China, and climate change, its clear that, like every president since George W. Bush, hell continually have his attention diverted toward Afghanistan and Iraq.

Its not that he and his team have neglected those countries. Defense chiefs from NATO nations are meeting over the next two days in large part to discuss plans for Afghanistan and Iraq. The administration is also reviewing its policies in the two countries, weighing what to keep from the past four years and what to change.

But recent events have added an extra sense of urgency, with US troops under threat in an increasingly unstable Iraq, and a tough decision looming for the president in Afghanistan: leave the country to almost certain ruin, or stay and face another deadly fighting season against the Taliban?

In normal times, those would be tough issues for any administration to handle. In this era, theyre extra difficult.

It does seem like the bandwidth for Afghanistan and Iraq is limited, said Andrew Watkins, senior analyst for Afghanistan at the International Crisis Group. Its not that theres no interest; its just that there are other priorities.

Iran has long used its ties to Shia militia groups in Iraq, many of which are funded and directed by Tehran, to expand its influence in the country and thwart the US war effort there, including through attacks targeting US, Iraqi, and other international troops. Mondays attack, then, was a lethal continuation of that standoff.

Its unclear why the rocket attacks happened now. The most likely explanation experts have offered is that Iran is trying to pressure the US to lift sanctions on it and reenter the nuclear deal. Whatever the reason, the assault makes clear that Iraq remains a battleground between the US and Iran meaning it will continue to be a problem for the Biden administration as long as US forces remain in the country.

Iraq is going to keep rearing its head, said Randa Slim, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC. It will put itself on the agenda.

Some analysts I spoke to said their hope is that the Biden team wont view its Iraq policy solely as an extension of Iran policy. Indeed, beyond the Iranian proxy problem, Iraq is suffering from a deep governance crisis as millions go hungry due to a collapsing economy. Experts fear an Iraq in decline could prove fertile ground for ISISs resurgence.

For the moment, though, experts arent overly pleased by what they see from Bidens team.

During the Obama administration, [Iraq] policy was crafted to not aggravate Iran and sometimes work indirectly together, whether to guard the nuclear deal or fight ISIS, with little regard to Iraq itself, said Rasha Al Aqeedi, senior analyst at the Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy in DC. Under Trump, Iraq was merely a front to confront Iran. It appears the Biden administration is readopting the formers policy.

Not considering an independent Iraq policy has had an awful outcome in the past, she concluded.

The White House didnt respond to a request for comment. But the administration has been saying the right things, at least so far. A summary of a Tuesday call between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Iraqi counterpart noted that the United States remains committed to supporting our Iraqi partners in their efforts to defend Iraqs sovereignty and the reaffirmation of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

But whether Biden can sustain the needed time and attention for such complicated, long-term problems in Iraq with all thats already going on in the world remains an early question.

By May 1, Biden must make a crucial decision: withdraw all 2,500 US troops from Afghanistan, or stay involved in the 20-year war?

Such a choice was forced on this administration by the last one. The US and the Taliban last February struck a deal: All American troops would leave the country by early May, and in the meantime the Taliban wouldnt attack US or NATO coalition troops. Both sides have held their ends of the bargain, as roughly 10,000 service members have left the country while the US has suffered no combat deaths.

Biden has promised to bring home US combat troops from Afghanistan, but he never committed to doing so right away, giving himself until the end of his first term. He also said he would still potentially keep a small US military presence in the country to continue counterterrorism operations against ISIS and al-Qaeda. That meant it was always possible Biden wouldnt abide by the terms of the Trump-era deal.

His administration has signaled as much. In January, chief Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said the Talibans violence against Afghans and continued ties to al-Qaeda cast doubt on Americas scheduled departure in May, and the New York Times reported this week that the Defense Department has requested more military options for the country including an increase of troops.

Administration officials and experts tell me Bidens team is deep into its Afghanistan policy review. Some worry, that its a plodding process that could run up to the May 1 deadline. They seem pretty set on taking their time, said the International Crisis Groups Watkins. Meanwhile, two US officials told me the review is nearly complete, well ahead of schedule.

Still, that the review hasnt wrapped may explain why the Taliban put out a letter Tuesday pressuring the US to get out sooner rather than later. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is aware of its obligations, other parties must also discharge their own obligations, read the statement by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, chief of the Talibans political office, using the groups preferred name for its political organization.

Of course, Biden faces a near-impossible decision. If he commits to the withdrawal, many analysts fear the Taliban will exploit the resulting vacuum to push for another complete takeover of the country. The New York Times reports that the insurgent group has taken military outposts outside major cities like Kunduz and Kandahar, perhaps in preparation for such a fight.

But if Biden chooses to keep US troops in the country, its likely the US will see more Americans killed, adding to the 2,400 already lost since the US invaded the country in 2001. Whats more, violating the terms of the US-Taliban agreement might end any near-term chance for peace. It could be a generationally defining moment in the Taliban where they decide talking isnt worth it, Watkins told me.

There are other issues that will come up during the NATO meeting this week, and discussions there might inform what Biden will do. But the looming deadline might be cause for the administration and the president in particular to prioritize Afghanistan policy more than it has already.

Originally posted here:
Why Biden cant ignore Iraq and Afghanistan - Vox.com

BAGHDAD - From afar, the sprawling complex of the newly inaugurated American University in Baghdad appears like a floating mirage.

Encircled by blue waters of a human-made lake, former Saddam Hussein-era palaces have been converted to university departments promising a U.S.-style education to meet the needs of Iraq's growing youth.

Higher education has lagged in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam. Government officials maintain that the American University in Baghdad, which opened this week, is critical to shoring up the country's flailing state of higher education.

The campus is a sight rarely seen in Baghdad's urban sprawl: Ducks float by peacefully, as a handful of students, backpacks slung over their shoulders, head to class. Glossy new buses take others across a winding road.

"I feel more like a mayor of a big city than a university president," AUIB President Michael Mulnix said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, a day after the university officially opened its doors.

Critics have raised alarm over the university's funding scheme, which is reliant on one influential Iraqi businessman, while the twin threats of coronavirus and attacks by armed groups threaten to add further delays.

Still, university administrators are forging ahead with plans to expand.

Of the 14 colleges that Mulnix hopes will one day be brimming with avid learners, just three opened this week: Arts and Sciences, Business and International Studies. Five more, including Health Sciences and Law, are planned for the fall.

Also in the works are plans for an international school offering kindergarten through Grade 12, a teaching hospital, even a movie theater. A deal with U.S. fast-food chain Hardee's is close to being inked. Starbucks could be next.

As president, Mulnix's long list of duties befits the ambitious scope of the university, from overseeing mammoth reconstruction efforts of Saddam-era palaces three years ago, to hiring staff, managing food services and paying utility bills.

The university is located on the site where Saddam commissioned the construction of a resort. The project included the grand al-Fao Palace and numerous villas and smaller palaces in the 1990s to mark Iraq's retaking of the al-Fao peninsula during the Iran-Iraq conflict. A lake was formed by diverting water from the Tigris River and filled with a special breed of fish dubbed "Saddam bass."

The initials of the deposed dictator are still etched on the walls, columns and ceilings. Following his capture by U.S forces, he was imprisoned in one of the palace buildings. It was later used as a headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition force and called Camp Victory.

"His presence is here, everywhere," said Mulnix. "It's kind of interesting to take that legacy and transform it into what we are doing."

The dream, he said, was to bring an American-style university with a core liberal arts program to Baghdad. It is not just his vision, but that of the university's chief Iraqi financier, influential businessman Saadi Saihood, whose holdings began with a laundromat in the Green Zone servicing U.S. forces after 2003.

For now, the university is "American" in name only. It will be years before it might be accredited in the United States. They must first produce an initial graduating class, Mulnix said.

So far, the Saihood family has spent $200 million to renovate and refurbish the campus, prompting criticism of too much reliance on the personal wealth of a single businessman.

Mulnix brushed off allegations launched by critics of the university, including some Iraqi and other higher-education officials, that the family was seeking to make money.

"This is 100% a non-for-profit university. All the money made via tuition goes back to the university, not to repay the family that started it."

AUIB is the first American-style university in federal Iraq. Two American-style universities are located in Dohuk and Sulimaniyah in the northern Kurdish-run region.

An American approach to education, which encourages a diverse curriculum, will take time to gain popularity in Baghdad, where high school exam scores determine career paths, and degrees in engineering and medical sciences are favored. Liberal arts is a novel concept in Iraq, Mulnix said.

That might explain why enrollment has not met expectations.

Fewer than 300 students were admitted to AUIB in its inaugural year this year, far short of the 10,000-30,000 its founders hoped for. The majority went directly to the school's English Language Academy to improve their English skills before embarking on a baccalaureate program.

Most of the students have very basic English skills, not enough to meet the rigorous demands of the university, Mulnix said.

"We are having to take over from the very beginning. ... The students coming here really have quite the job because it will take a year or a year and a half for some of them when they are starting at a basic level to get through the English program."

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American University Hopes to Fill Higher-Ed Gap in Iraq - Voice of America