U.S. Representatives Greg Steube (R-Fla.) and Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) are calling on the Trump administration to take decisive action against Iranian-backed militias embedded within Iraq’s security forces.
In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, the lawmakers highlighted the growing threat posed by these militias, which have launched over 170 attacks on U.S. forces in the past two years, injuring multiple service members.
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Despite U.S. taxpayers providing more than $11.4 billion in assistance to Iraq, Iranian-aligned militias remain a sanctioned part of Iraq’s state and security apparatus.
A recent report from the Department of Defense Inspector General revealed the extent of Iran’s influence within Iraq’s Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense, with officers sympathetic to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) scattered throughout the security services.
One prominent figure, Qasim al-Araji, Iraq’s National Security Adviser and a senior leader of the IRGC-backed Badr Corps, has been implicated in the 2019 terrorist attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Al-Araji’s involvement underscores the dangerous overlap between Iraq’s government and Iranian-backed militias.
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In their letter, Reps. Steube and Wilson outlined three key recommendations to address the threat posed by these militias:
- Designation of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs): The lawmakers urged the administration to designate groups such as the Badr Corps, Abu Fadl al-Abbas Brigades, and others as FTOs.
- Sanctions Implementation: They called for imposing sanctions under Executive Order 13224 on militias including Sarayya al-Jihad and Kata’ib al-Imam Ali.
- Suspension of Security Assistance to Iraq: The letter recommended ending all U.S. security assistance to Iraq until Iranian-backed militias are removed from the country’s state forces.
“It is completely unacceptable that taxpayer dollars have long supported a system where Iranian-backed militias are armed, trained, and legally part of Iraq’s government,” said Rep. Steube. “Replacing ISIS with Iran-backed terrorist militias does not make sense and only fuels the onslaught of terror that the Iranian regime seeks to export. I’m glad to join Rep. Wilson in sending recommendations to the Trump Administration on how to combat Iranian terrorism in the Middle East. Under President Trump’s leadership, the world will be safer and America will be stronger.”
Rep. Wilson echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for a new approach to U.S. policy in Iraq.
“It’s time for a new Iraq policy. It doesn’t make sense to continue to send billions of dollars to Iraq, which is at the same time funding Iran-backed militias that attack Americans. It’s time to put America First. In President Trump’s first term, the maximum pressure campaign bankrupted Iran, and I believe that through his leadership, we will counter Iran’s malign role in Iraq,” he said.
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The lawmakers’ letter comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, where Iranian-backed militias continue to destabilize the region. These militias, armed and trained by the IRGC, have not only targeted U.S. forces but also undermined Iraq’s sovereignty by embedding themselves within the country’s security forces.
The Steube-Wilson letter highlights the urgent need to address this threat, noting that the current policy of providing security assistance to Iraq while tolerating the presence of Iranian-backed militias is counterproductive. “The United States cannot continue to fund a system that allows Iranian-backed terrorists to operate with impunity,” the letter states.
The Trump administration has yet to respond to the lawmakers’ recommendations.
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