The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is seen on Jan. 2, 2020, following an attack on the facility. If Iraq pushes U.S. troops to leave, the country will find itself in America's economic crosshairs.
For companies active in Iraq, threats to physical security — whether from a possible military conflict between the United States and Iran, militia violence or a resurgent Islamic State — aren't the only thing they need to worry about. That's because dark economic times could also be on the way, especially as U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to enact sanctions on Iraq if Baghdad continues to push for a withdrawal of U.S. forces in Iraq following the U.S. assassination of Qassem Soleimani . If Baghdad pushes U.S. forces out, the aftermath, bluntly speaking, will be messy. Given that bilateral diplomatic relations inevitably would take a nosedive in such a situation, the United States would most likely impose punishing sanctions on Iraq. And even if such measures don't come to pass, the United States' campaign of maximum pressure on Iran will certainly leave Iraq worse for wear as well.
