“Iraq, under punishing international sanctions and totalitarian rule for another decade, would have become a failed state, with parts of the south and Iraqi Kurdistan falling outside Saddam’s control.”
“[Trump administration officials] want to raise the cost to the Iraqi government of working with Iranian-aligned actors and force it to choose between the United States and Iran… such an approach is likely to backfire.”
“From a purely informational perspective, closing [the consulate in Iraq] would be detrimental to U.S. interests and maintaining contact with people in the community there.”