The recent protest ‘attack’ on a US Embassy in Iraq underscores the sticking point with US & Iraq relations. It is that Iraqi Militias, the informal civilian army, rejects the US classifying Iran’s Guards (eg. military) as a terrorist group (eg. fighters who target soft civilian targets).

This has become an urgent matter since today’s protest by Iraqis surrounding the military retaliation by the US for another attack on an allied base which killed one US contractor and wounding more. US says the attack was carried out by an Iraqi militia group backed by Iran. This group has denied doing so. Leading to the protest by Iraqi civilians who fear an infringement of their sovereignty. The situation is easy to understand: attacking their militias who denied ‘guilt’. 

Protesters Attack U.S. Embassy in Iraq, Chanting ‘Death to America’

Of course, the mission for the US, after liberating that area from ISIS, “Following the territorial defeat of ISIS in Iraq, the United States increased efforts to stabilize liberated areas as Iraq continues to develop as a sovereign, stable, and self-reliant country.” (US State Department)