Representatives from eight Iraqi professional military education institutions, led by Staff Lieutenant General Aqeel Mustafa Mahdi Al Rammah, President of the Iraqi Defence University for Military Studies, visited NATO Headquarters on 12 and 13 December 2023.
The visit was part of the annual review of their defence education activities, within the framework of NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP).
According to NATO:
“NATO Assistant Secretary General for Operations, Tom Goffus, welcomed the President of the University and highlighted the mutually beneficial partnership between Iraq and NATO, and the importance of continued cooperation to strengthen Iraq’s security forces.
The visiting delegation exchanged views with personnel from NATO’s international staff and NATO Mission Iraq and subject-matter experts from Allied countries. Together they assessed the progress made on the achievement of objectives related to defence education that were set out in 2022. They also reviewed the activities conducted in this domain in 2023 and agreed on the development of objectives for 2024 and beyond. Staff Lieutenant General Aqeel underlined the importance of this regular stock-taking and added that NATO DEEP is an efficient and reliable partner in supporting the Iraqi Defence University to improve and further develop.”
Only slightly OT, but I wonder if there would ever be a resumption of the Iran-Iraq war in the future…and if Iraq might want to call on assistance from its new allies in the West!
I find it a bit strange with the Shia alliance (Iranian backed) holding the balance of power in Iraq and continuing to have more and more influence in the area/region that Nato haa this relationship. Strange one.
Yes. I wondered about this too. The only thing I could think might be bringing them together is a common hatred of ISIL.
I guess if you want to have some influence in the area you must have some friends and if the Americans want to keep operating in Northern Iraq they have to keep those friends sweet.
Presumably helping the Iraqi people to depose a dictator and build a representative government is how we build a friendship based on shared values. Keeping their Military a supporter of the government, not motivated to rule (Junta) goes with that, and we can lead by example. Not so sure that the US example of representative government is a great one, what with the broken Congress and the wannabe dictator aiming for 2024 election. Hopefully the 14th Amendment Section 3 will prevent that dictatorship. A NATO mission to restore the Constitution in Washington DC would be the alternative after a second… Read more »