In last month’s NATO defense ministerial the global military bloc announced it was increasing its forces in Iraq by a factor of ten, from a current level of 500 to as many as 5,000.

According to Defense Department figures in January, there are 2,500 U.S. troops in the nation.

So shortly there will be twice as many NATO as American troops in Iraq.

Note the three “operational partners” involved in NATO’s military operation in the country. This will be “neutral” Sweden’s third NATO war stint, after supplying combat troops for the war in Afghanistan and warplanes for the seven-month onslaught against Libya in 2011. Sweden’s first wars in two hundred years.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Iraq’s Foreign Minister addresses the North Atlantic Council on strengthening NATO-Iraq cooperation

Today (11 March 2021), the Foreign Minister of Iraq Fuad Hussein briefed the North Atlantic Council virtually. The discussion focused on NATO-Iraq cooperation and on NATO’s advising and training mission in Iraq. NATO Ambassadors, as well as those of operational partners Australia, Finland and Sweden took part.