Iraqis view Biden victory with cautious hope
A broad range of political, security, and business leaders say they expect no sea change in U.S. policy toward Iraq, while hoping for reduced tensions with Iran.
Then-U.S. Ambassador to Iraq James Jeffrey, US Vice President Joe Biden, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, listen to the Iraqi and US National Anthems during a special ceremony at US Camp Victory military base in Baghdad on December 1, 2011. (KHALID MOHAMMED/AFP via Getty Images)
BAGHDAD - Joe Biden’s win in the U.S. presidential election is inspiring guarded optimism among Iraqi political, security, and business leaders, who believe his administration will feature a more predictable foreign policy even if Iraq is unlikely to be a central priority.
Iraqi leaders are especially hopeful that a Biden administration will lead to easing tensions with Iran, reducing the frequency of violent incidents between Iranian proxy forces and U.S. interests in Iraq — and making it slightly easier for Baghdad to balance its relations with Washington and Tehran.
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