During that August 2023 meeting, the US and Iraq committed to starting the HMC to discuss the coalition's mission to defeat ISIS will - that will transition on a timeline that considers three key factors: the threat from ISIS, operational and - and environmental requirements, and the Iraqi Security Forces' capability levels, said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh, Report informs.
She noted that the HMC meeting is not a negotiation about the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq:
"It is about the - what the future looks like for the US and Iraqi bilateral relationship. And one of the things that the HMC is going to consider are many—the three factors that I outlined at the beginning, which is the threat of ISIS, the operational and environmental requirements, and then, of course, the Iraqi Security Forces' capability levels."