If US backtracks in Syria, Iraq hopes to fill its shoes
Iraq is expanding its relations with the Syrian government, seeking a strong position as the conflict resolves.
Iraq expects to play an official role in the Syrian transition, especially once things stabilize and more countries reopen their embassies in Damascus, as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain did recently.
On Dec. 30, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said a group of Iraqi officials had met the day before with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The delegation included national security adviser Faleh al-Fayad, who also heads Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units.
