change in the social settings in iraq and the iraq economic philosophies and everything that is iraq today is completely different from what was before 2003. so whatever iraq will come to -- will be a legacy of the united states government or successive governments on their policies. and that is very important. i think also for iraq as a country that would like to have -- establish a new role different than the importance of iraq before 2003, people looked at iraq in the past as a source of trouble, of problems in the region, a pariah state. today iraq is trying to gain a prominent role in the region on internationally, as a problem solver. in order to do that, i believe that a good balanced relation with the united states would open many windows for other similar relations with the western world and also regionally. so one can never over estimate the importance of this relationship, and i believe that the two countries have been building a good trajectory towards working through their differences and arriving at agreements even on some of the most difficult questions, such as the se

-iraq relations recently at the iraq initiative conference and topics include, iraq's leadership. >> good evening. thank you for the atlantic council for inviting me to join this conference as moderator. i just left the state department a few months ago and the last meeting i did was the iraq energy security dialogue. so it's a great way to kick off my washington atlantic council career here, and so i really appreciate the chance to be here with all of you. i'm really thankful that there's such a distinguished panel and i know this conversation is exciting so i'll be leaning on the expertise and experience of the folks here that are joining me today. so first, let me just first introduce the panel and we have folks here today as well as two who are out there on the internet who will be joining us, as well, i believe from france, and so i'll go through and introduce them and give them each a chance to talk about the area that they're focused on most spikily in specifically ine iraq energy sector and hopefully leaving plenty of time for folks here in the audience as well as out on the

iraq security again. plenty of things for us all to be talking about over the next 90 minutes or so. so i think i'll hand it over too each of the panelists to give us a quick instruction to open up to the conversation. >> thank you very much. i appreciate it. thank you for this introduction. bring to moderate this panel. u.s. iraq relations are very important for iraq. united's interest in the region as well. the united states has brought post- 2003 change in iraq not just the regime change about an entire change in the social settings of iraq. philosophies and anything that is direct to date is completely different from what it was before 2003. whatever iraq will come to, will be the legacy of the united states government or successive governments on their policies. but is very important but also for iraq as a country that would like to have established a difference in the importance of iraq between 2003 they looked iraq in the past as a source of trouble of problems in the region. to date iraq is trying

i would bet on iraq. you need to bring about the right kind of forward-looking thoughts. >> if you could have done to the comment about the region obviously from u. s. perspective we are interested in the economic and energy part but it's also important for iraq to integrate regionally economically as well and that means beyond the economic integration with iran. economic integration with the rest of the gulf. there is a lot of expertise in finance and companies that could bring a lot to the iraqi economy as well. from our perspective in an iraq that's well-integrated in the region it's also more stable and stronger. stanley thank you for mentioning that. i want to ask you ferid we don't have anyone from the iraqi government but with turkey. where do things stand now and what can we offer the iraqi economy and to the iraqi people? >> that's a very tough one. the thing is development is very much in the early stages. the way i would look at this important part is we have can manage to get it off of the gro

and outside of iraq. we have a number of countries who have been doing that with way less capacity and way less wealth. so, you know, there is a way of doing it and, frankly, you know, you bet on a country, i would bet on iraq. it has it all, you know? you need to bring about the right, you know, kind of looking forward -- forward looking policies. >> go ahead. >> maybe i could just add onto the comment about the region. i mean, i think obviously from a u.s. perspective we're very interested in expanding our own economic and energy ties, but i think it's also important for iraq to continue to integrate regionally, economically as well, and that means, you know, beyond economic integration with iran, you know, economic integration with the rest of the gulf. certainly there's a lot of expertise and finance companies that could really bring a lot to bear in the iraqi economy as well, and so, you know, from our perspective an iraq that's well integrated in the region is also more stable and stronger. >> thank

that can be done in iraq. it is particularly fortuitous that you can utilize the carbon that you are capture rising, reinjected into the ground for enhanced oil recovery so you can produce oil more efficiently and more cheaply in iraq. so, i think that these are all different ways you can tackle the problem both near-term and longer-term and to do it in both an economically and environmentally responsible way. >> thank you. that is a really useful snapshot of electricity situation and also what i think most people are interested in this and look at where we are going with some optimism in there which is always something that gives good to offer any of these conversations. i think that that is a great note to hit on that. so, going back a little bit, i would like to have this same question, but building on the industry perspective. building on what georges talked about and adding an independent spirit question is, i would like you to kind of draw a picture for us, same thing. how can iraq meet its demand, energ

people have and iraq. to say too bad too late we've lost 3600 troops and it's time to go home i think is a shortsighted perspective when it comes to this global war were fighting. our enemies are fighting a global insurgency, not just in the middle east but we've seen repeatedly in europe with the bombings recently in glasgow and then throughout europe. the threat is real. the enemy is out there and we can decide whether were going to continue to fight them with the right -- i wouldn't be here this morning it was a same strategy that was years while i was in iraq. i wouldn't be here defending that policy. that was a failed policy. >> what would you be say? >> it's probably time to adjust strategy. we need to change strategy. [inaudible] >> mccain has voiced this. it's that with continued losing american lives as a fill strategy. either adjust strategy or pull the troops out. i totally agree. if there was up late to adjust rank i would be jumping on the table saying get our servicemen and women out because

all qaeda chooses to make iraq the frontline and al qaeda was not in iraq. secondly you speak of abu ghraib was an aberration. and soldiers chose to do this on their own. the report was for the highest in the military and being complicit in his complicit. thank you sir. i think the administration did itself a great disservice trying to tie all qaeda toid hussein's still in doing so has made people step back and think i don't think we are really fighting al qaeda. but it can be further from the truth. that may be where we have decided to fight them. they want to fight us and they have decided in america -- what the caller was saying is all qaeda wasn't there before we entered. al qaeda was looking for any battlefield. it was in afghanistan first to get ridha of hussein and whether or not that was the right decision is for the history books right now but where we are is in the battle for al qaeda wn iraq and it needs to be completed. as for abu ghraib if you look at the way the people were treated it was a shame and it's a problem. we have compared with the wa

troops landed in iraq, it quickly became apparent that americans were as safe from wmds in iraq as the troops actively searching for them. >> no weapons of mass destruction were found, and far from being a quick victory, iraq went up in sectarian flames. >> i remember this very well. i was writing for the website salon.com, and i was covering the way u.s. service members were not finding weapons of mass destruction. most americans and journalists seem to take it for granted that wmds would eventually be found. but of course, that's because none of us knew what joe wilson had been up to. and watching the war proceed. it was just too much for joe. so what did joe do from the state of the union in 2003? >> he turned this over every moment. joe was like, look, i know i went to niger. i investigated these reports. that wasn't true. he spoke to his former colleagues in the state department. he spoke to people up on the hill that, you know, this isn't right. >> it became an obsession. >> yes joe wilson was so upset that after months of stewing over bush's false statement, he published an op e

.— play, as we'll iraq.have set that out _ play, as we'll iraq. you have set that out very _ play, as we'll iraq. you have set that out very clearly - play, as we'll iraq. you have set that out very clearly forl set that out very clearly for us. aljolani has the attention and momentum at the moment. do you think you will have the ability to exert control over the many groups and factions within syria, if, as he says, he wants to create order and a syria for all, and if he is able to do that, what science should be looked for in terms of the transition to suggest that it of the transition to suggest thatitis of the transition to suggest that it is an orderly one —— what trump —— signs. hts was to all intents and purposes northern and western syria, it had some sales in other parts of the country but it is fundamentally the product of the dynamics in northern and western syria, the enclave that it enrolled in idlib, the province near torquay, was heavily divided along the lines in that region, with multiple di

we decided we were over iraq. we have roosevelt's couch the present of t united states d considers himself a citizen of the world. roosevelt talked about in 1910 warning against those who seek us as citizens of humanity national field. he said citizens of the world are usually the worst agents of their own country. because they point out the amorphous things we can do without focusing on what makes in their publics case what we are fighting for. i w called the foreign-policy coaxes foreign-policy and other bumper sticker code. that's an example of his mindset. it's not the coexisting is bad, coexisting is good but it's at a main sonata in and just like engagement is anitaa nodded and let when asked about his doctor and he says it's to engage. engaging is not a doctor in. engaging doesn't mean you necessarily understand what you believe in. what you have his is progressive elites who went to places at school at princeton and harvard and a lot of us know the obama's wonderful people but they are believers in what we

and we were speaking to our iraq correspondent who was saying that the iran aligned to malicious in iraq actually want to go in syria and fight for the charlotte side. so that's at least 3 fighting forces. i know some of them have been weakened that could potentially right brings but provide some military to this. if we look at this from a historical perspective, the aloe, it's got to the top of the power train in syria because of the french, the french occupation from the 1st world war through the 2nd world war they left and $46.00, but the french helped minorities to the top of the food chain and syria, and that's why so many how the whites volunteered for the french bills army and syria. then when the french left, the aloe white officers in that army were able to take power after a few decades of complete instability and they grabbed power. now the out of whites are, uh, she, i offshoot. and then after the iranian revolution, the out of whites were reinforced by the she, i, revolutionary version, even iran. and then when america, over through the cindy's saddam is saying any rock and

he was there to show _ he came back from iraq? support for - he came back from iraq? he was there to show support for the - there to show support for the christians because i've been there since 2015 visiting there when isis was just very close to world the christians have been driven out from. many felt during those years that they had been neglected certainly by the west but also to a certain extent, the church itself, including the pope. and he went to show they had not been forgotten in the christians in the middle east at been there since the beginning and of a persecuted minority now and he was there to support them and show that the church in the west really did care and they really did appreciate that. he felt it was a little late in coming but they appreciated it. there were around a million christians living in iraq. i think the number is diminished to only a couple of hundred thousand, maybe two or 300,000. and it was one that popejohn paul ii been hoping to be warded off and saddam hussein was still there, he didn't tr

so now iran is left with iraq, influence in iraq, and there's chatter that iraq is going to be next inerms of pressure by israel and others who will take on iran and iraq. and obviously, yemen with the houthis. john: hassan hassan, thank you very much. hassan: you're welcome, thank you. john: elsewhere, esident-elect trump weighed in on the war in ukraine. hours after meeting with ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky in paris, mr. trump posted on truth social to call for an immediate ceasefire with russia. while ukraine wants to join nato, in an interview on nbc's "meet the press," mr. trump said the united states may leave the alliance. he says european countries are taking advantage of the united states. he wouldn't commit to staying unless countries meet defense spending targets. the president-elect also doubled down on his pledge to launch mass deportations as soon as he takes office. >> is it your plan to deport everyone who is here illegally overhe next four years? >> well, i think you have to do it. and it's a very tough thing to do. it's -- but you have to have -- you know, y

the 2nd is that iraq will not allow the scenario. oh, but tourism being transferred to to iraq as it happened before, the following, this city and a war, the ultimate to the vote in 2011. the 3rd point is that the lock is keen to maintain its unity and stability, as well as the unity and the stability of a city. so this is a locks position. you've got to then get it the city. yeah. what do we understand that also it, these 2 for the minnesota is over here, i can city it would be joined to buy a bus out of g, the iranian for the minnesota and the according to the elaine, you invested it to you like the purpose of this visit is to enhance. that is, you know, cold nation to combat what he describes as a wave of terrorism. and also he added, the greater the coordination between the countries of the region, the scope of the crisis in cities will be limited. iraq, it, needless to say, iraq is involved in syria and is concerned with the city of what is going on in city as you know that you're on the official level officials have been all wa

in 2009, lyle volunteered to deploy to iraq where he served as a chief of logistics in iraq -- and iraq advisor at the multinational security transition command iraq. he happened to serve in iraq at the same time as my wife, and even though they served at different locations, it always gave me comfort to know that he was over there with her. during his career, lyle has served at both the 148th fighter wing and the 133rd airlift wing and he's currently posted at the joint force headquarters where he works as the director of plans and policy. at this time, lyle rock is the longest serving air national guard officer with 38 years and 11 months under his belt. i find it especially impressive that throughout his entire service, he has only missed two days of drill. mr. speaker, i am proud to call lieutenant colonel lyle rock my good friend and the state of minnesota is proud of his decades of service. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from illinois seek recognition? that you'd become such a role

hill means iraq. he's on a rainy and foreign ministers on friday. meanwhile, the leader of the on to group higher. so i said as some is a junior rocks, a stay out of any conflict with syria. i don't know how much is your line. you specifically want against allowing a rocky popular mobilization forces to intervene and syria is assessed or supports what he described as this vanishing regime. now this comes off the rocks powerful cut that it has bullet on group calls on both sides to send troops to syria, to support the damascus government, a homeland arrow to see all political leads and look for the saw that has cooled on his country to stay out of the conflicts in syria, in a post on ex suds, it was spoke of the necessity of iraq's government people, policies, militias, on security forces. i'm not getting involved in the syrian issue. all right, well let's go to my most often. why heads for the latest developments he's like for us in both of that a whole. thank you. once again for joining us now. me th

so those are crossed into iraq today. he did go. he reported these pages today that some of them are receiving american statements inside your work. you me to get facilities which indicates that they have been they have been at least some of them have been engaging in some presentation with the opposition fight that was inside city. we did not know what a search and whether or not this is the fiction or was the one but it, it indicates that these of the, some of the soldiers were engaged in the confrontation in site city. according to this, as folks i'm unavailable to see a government totaled, i just see that these 2000 and a good, a lot of soldiers from the city, an army that are now being hosted by the lucky automatic forces that also explains why the high ranking get you lucky officers from the army with the to a did it upon impressing terminal on top of them. that cheap of of was tough. we understand that this crossing tell them and it has been all is controlled by a i'm a groups along with you're lucky a lot, a lot. in fact, i'

first of all, iraq has lost connection. not only was city. yeah. i mean, iraq as a shadid government, a language has lots connection not only with city, but also a major connect to, to, to live in a why. and 2nd, there is a major that the biggest, via the biggest swati or iraq you, which is now, is that the possible time span of but extreme is in, across the border. because the, when you speak to iraq, you push as they would say that the page already i have your prize in 2014 on to 2017 as the defense vet of extremism and tourism, from city and to your rock, concealed a loss of human lives down the resources in iraq. the don't want this scenario to be repeated again with the photo, but i said redeem 2nd. do you have the groups, any of the lucky on the groups? these are backed by iran and that that date, it's remains to be seen how this these um groups will react up to the default of the major a lot in that age. and they have been engaged already in the fight in syria. and in the 11th, as the same, a heard iraq, a country already on the loss of econ

their network extended to this city in iraq. we go there to investigate the people who trade in desperation and misery. gangs are making millions. are you charging people up to $5,000 in the back of a truck? so why can't the smugglers be stopped? by planes, boats and automobiles... one, two, three. ..migrants trying to reach the uk and other countries in western europe. thank you so, so much. thank you, bro. nice to meet you. all of these migrants were being smuggled by two men from south wales... ..ali khdir and dilshad shamo. they ran a carwash in caerphilly. there's no suggestion that anyone else working there was involved in people smuggling. but following a tip—off, the two men were investigated by the national crime agency for six months. this is a typical carwash that you see in every city and town where you come in, have your hand car washed by a number of people. they were a very busy business and that was their source of income on a semi—legitimate outward—looking business. however, it appears that they were up to more

here they are today crossing the border into iraq to get away from the fighting.y been absent, and this tells you a great deal about psychological warfare. it seems to me that the opposition has already won, because they have really won the psychological warfare against the regime itself, and the syrian army does not really seem to be standing up. bashar al—assad was last seen on sunday, meeting his backers from iran. but that country has been weakened by conflict with israel and can no longer give him the support he needs. the assad regime has murdered, gassed and tortured thousands of its own people, but a big question mark now hangs over what comes next. as his rule crumbles around him, many fear what could follow for syria. frank gardner, bbc news. speaking earlier on saturday, the un's envoy for syria told of its own people, but a big question mark now hangs over what comes next. as his rule crumbles around him, many fear what could follow for syria. frank gardner, bbc news. speaking earlier on saturday, the un's envoy for syria told the bbc a negotiated solu

oh country as being a big becker, not only of scenery but also of iraq. hopefully be a live alone and the it is not, it is not our fault that all the resolutions which will adopt it when they meet the least issues. some of the, for example, iraq was moment out of the state which without any discussion of the security council rushes for a minute. so a surgical laboratories in color taking part in the annual dual form and international gathering for business and policy makers from across the globe discussing most a few issues in ways and strategies to resolve them for force this year is forum is taking place in times of great tensions, the end of the world, v, as in refrains from a half because the asia pacific and especially the middle east with guys 11 on and now the, the alarmingly rapidly deteriorating situation in syria. all sorts of reports have been coming out of the trouble of the country. it seems that the terrace and the on deposition had been gaining more ground and taking more cities, raising great concern that that will further destabilize the

most of the migrants smuggled by shamo and khdir came from the middle east — iran, iraq and syria.d come via various routes, all looking for a better life in western europe — and many are believed to have come to the uk. the organised crime gang had contacts throughout europe and the middle east to help run their operations. it's a fairly substantial network we've identified. there were a number of different countries across europe — in turkey, germany, italy, moldova, i believe, belarus. a person would come in there to say, "i want to get "to the uk," as an example. they would reach out to them to say, "we have people "interested in travelling across to somewhere, some destination," and then, shamo and khdir�*s responsibility was for the transportation from point a to point z. we know that these people smugglers had contacts in northern iraq, so i've come to erbil in the kurdistan region of the country to try to find out more about these kind of criminal networks. this ancient city is proudly and distinctly kurdish. but it harbours a dark reality — this region is now an important

so, the people that you met in iraq are terrified of the war spreading?of people don't understand about the middle east is that, you know, when there is war in one country, the whole region is — it has an impact on the whole region and, in fact, on it. we all share the same fear that more and more groups will take advantage of it and then, it will be hard to stop it, yeah. you started telling your story almost as soon as you escaped, and you refused — you very clearly refuse to feel the shame that the islamic state wanted you to feel and that the perpetrators wanted you to feel. was that a conscious choice at the time? i think the shame and stigma that is — that was attached to being raped — it wasn'tjust by isis but also the people that i was, like, living with, the country, the society — it was something that so many people advised me not to tell. i met survivors who were with me in captivity, who i know were sexually abused and after they escaped, they would say they were only slaves and, like, prisoners and nothing happened to them and then, years lat

first of all, hearing loss and iraq in the corner. so you walk where i am, the regional government tries to stay out of this come and taking up to get involved in it, in southern iraq. and in fact that the, the government there and especially she and malicious, had been involved with this conflict. reportedly they had been sent in the recent days to syria, to support assets. and yesterday they were reports that uh, troops, assets, troops had, had to cross the border to iraq around 2000. so we'll just some of them while and that. so, and the rock plays a role in this conflict, they were concerned about the opposition groups and going forward to the schools. and they had to extra to the embassy in damascus because uh, they were preoccupied about what would happen because they were, i knew the embassy had already been there in damascus. so you rock southern the rock, the central government, in fact that is involved and is concerned now we heard from the regulators that they want to assure a peaceful transition of power with in syria. is

now, as we've heard from iraq, you questions yesterday the interior administrate up iraq said that at 200 to excuse me. 2750 cdns have arrived across the border into iraq. these includes that 2000, so go to so for so i'll put you on a regular so just with the vgm of a sudden i said they cross the border into your rock. would that a full equipment and be handed over the equipment to fit the lucky much forces? now work is under way across the board. that was city of mainly around and crossing . told them that up to the town, the between syria and iraq, to set up tents and also to accommodate the uh, to the city and the soldiers and civilians. they also include government officials and, and, and civilians. now that he had an iraq at would just waiting to see what is the reaction from who, from the ely aligned a groups. those that they call themselves the stomach resistance because they had been engaged, they had been involved with in the world and syria. and also the have been a, in gauging in the world and, and in liberty. and i'm to this moment there is no, i'll put you on the statemen

iraq has achieved that. the problem is and this is where iraq is interesting. iraq is under pressure from iran from its proxy network with syria not being on iran's side, iraq has new options and will be interesting to see how we work with the iraq yeas. amna: turkey has been a big winner and iran is a big loser and they are backing assad for years, how do you like at iran snr. >> iran is a looser and comparable to 1973 and the bib regulates of kuwait and not only lost in syria and gaza and lebanon and hezbollah and it lost in its war with israel. it's only ally is the houthis. amna: the proxies through hamas and houthis and what does it mean for israel? >> israel is in an extraordinarily secure place. i think the first indication of that will be a rapid movement if hamas or what is left of hamas will play along for a ceasefire because israel doesn't have to deal with gaza because it has other rules chasing its shred. amna: and just a matter of weeks, the president-elect tweeted, he wrote, syria is not our friend and united states should not have anything to do

so yeah, it fueled the insurgency in iraq.articular place, i would say and many analysts would say what syrians -- what syria needs is the restoration of law and order. people argue perhaps a reformed syrian arab army which was the name of the official armed forces of the country could play a part in that. they would get rid of the corrupt officers. they would try to have a military force that if necessary could be used in internal security may be to crack down on jihadi groups. but now, thanks to what israel is doing again tonight, i think it is the third night of strikes. if they try to set up a force like that, they will need a great deal of new equipment because it has all been destroyed. >> jeremy in damascus. thank you for that. let's cross to washington and speak to tom bateman who has been watching events at the state department. the big question is when or if and how the american administration would recognize the new power in damascus. >> they have had qte a bit to stay about that for the first time today. what we ha

well, the syrian foreign minister is in iraq and heal means iraq uni, rainy, and foreign ministers. on a friday, new mall, the leader of the ohms group, hyatt, the data sham, has a xerox to stay off of any new conflicts with syria. i will know how mother juliani specifically warns against the lying rocky put him on the blinds ation forces to intervene and syria is a fast oh, support. what he described as this vanishing regime. now this comes off the rocks pa, forget that it has been the on to group the cold on both of the to send troops to syria, to support the damascus government. a non prominent iraq, you shall put it's kalese almost all the. so there has also called on his country to stay out of the conflicts in syria, in a post on x. so the spoke of the necessity of iraq's government, people, policies, militias, and the security forces not guessing involved in the syrian issue. right, well for more on those developments that speak to my what i'm did, why heads, he's life for us in both sides of now is we heard that we're serious for an minister is visiting is just arrived in abo

and their turning the tide in iraq. the new strategy reinforced by new troops has al-qaeda on the run and americans are saying we want a victory. victory is possible and victory matters because history will judge us not when we leave but on what we leave behind. victory is defined by educated al-qaeda and a stable iraq. it's going to be tough but i say to you this is so important andd i ask you today keep up the fight. never stop. spread the word and tell the united states congress back here to to have as much courage and capitol hill as a troops in combat have on the front line. tell them that. tell them that. now was a time to stand by our troops. now is the time to stand by our commanders and now is the time to stand by their mission. god bless you all and god bless this great country. school. >> thank you very much captain pete hegseth -- did i press that correctly? executive director of vets for freedom and infantry officer in the massachusetts army national guard and iraq war veteran. received his ba from princeto

hosted by iraq. you armed forces and security has been tightens along the border with syria. my from what i've been, what does more from bank dodge iraqi security forces on high lift as they mobilized along with the city. and for the it was locked down 8 of the phone of damascus to a position fighters. and on more than 2000 city and the regular soldiers have crossed into a lock through the call and crossing since the friday. some with injuries. so during, during themselves and that equipment, the lucky officials are concerned about who else might have slipped through. well, know how to juggle the ti, mckenna, toyota. we must address all the gaps that enabled terrorism to infiltrate in 2014. today we're following the events and neighboring syria, and we are all hopeful that the countries of the region and of the world as a whole will assure responsibility to preserve the security and sovereignty of syria. terrorism came to iraq across the border and we defeated it with great sacrifices. for now, as th

previously led veterans for freedom, and advocacy organization founded in 2006 by veterans of the iraq and afghanistan rs. in 2010 mr. hegseth was already the senate to testify against the confirmation of supreme court justice elena kagan over her treatment of military recruits at hartford -- harvard law school. >> thank you very much captain pete hegseth -- did i press that correctly? executive director of vets for freedom and infantry officer in the massachusetts army national guard and iraq war veteran. received his ba from princeton, pursuing a masters at harvard university, john f. kennedy school of government. that's all correct? >> yes, sir. >> please go ahead. >> chairman lee, ranking member, other members, thank you for the opportunity to be a today. it's a privilege to take part in these proceedings. my name's pete hegseth and executive director of vets for freedom dedicated to supporting our war fighters and omission on the battlefield. i receive my commission from princeton in 2003 and that sir two tours in the united states army, the first in guantÁnamo bay, cuba, and the

syrian regime troops have been escaping syria into iraq. i want to show you brand new video of syrian army soldiers fleeing from their country into iraq through a border crossing there. again these were assad regime military moving into iraq. joining us now, ambassador james jeffrey, former u.s. envoy for syria and former u.s. ambassador to iraq and turkey. thank you so much for being here on this saturday night. as we're watching this video. i just want to get your reaction to seeing those troops leaving syria and crossing into iraq. >> well, first, thanks for having me on. above all else this is a great day for the syrian people. but it is also a great day for american policy and the policy of our partners and allies, including our kurdish and other allies within syria and turkey and israel, for having kept pressure on the assad regime. but through the assad regime, the entire iranian network in the region, as steve cooke just explained, it is collapsing before our eyes. this is a whole new day in the middle east, and it is to be much wel

because remember, iraq, somebody from this in the past paid haven't prize when the tourism, when the violence was transferred, it across the border into the lock button. now, according to the 40 minutes, so it'll be unlocked. and he mentioned that iraq is, is in, evolve in communicating with the regional and international paolo's, including get to the united alabama to in egypt. and also is going to cold for uh, the at a bleach to hold an emergency meeting, to discuss the city and a crisis. and also the for the minutes. it will be lock mentioned that the lock will call upon the regional powers to meet it by the dad to also a to discuss where he is and to mobilize before it's to the face to escalate the situation in syria when it comes to iran. eli looks at it from a different perspective because according to the foot of mess, it will be on that bus out of the he just mentioned that this is a matter of tourism. a method of tourism dot to a matter is to the whole international community and the international community showed a, a face it should confronted until to put an end to that. i

with this geographic disconnect, you have also iraq, iraq is a serious neighbor. it stayed out of what was happening for the most part as far as the government was concerned, at the very least. then what we will have to watch and see now is how things will develop. how will the see the, the, the iraq, the government deal with this change? and what would it mean for iraq? he iranian relations, the palestinian factions that allied themselves with the regime. some of them fighting along the rank and file with the syrian resume will also have to answer for that alignment and the syria, the palestinian resistance groups like how my son is from actually i had the also last and the ally even though at the sides of the same really only gave them rhetorical support, but they will still need as part of this grouping. no other or other major players . you have israel and you have russia also in syria wanting to see how things develop. yeah, no, i was gonna just jump in there and say, i mean obviously, you know, you made a very important point. the jordan host hundreds of tho