>> Sreenivasan: AN UNEXPLODED
ROCKET LANDED CLOSE TO A
MILITARY BASE HOSTING U.S.
TROOPS IN NORTHERN IRAQ TODAY.
THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE,
BUT THE ATTACK WAS THE LATEST
TARGETING THE AMERICAN MILITARY
PRESENCE IN THE COUNTRY.
ABOUT 2,500 U.S. TROOPS REMAIN
IN IRAQ AS PART OF THE
MULTINATIONAL COALITION FORCE IN
THE FIGHT AGAINST ISIS.
IT'S THE LOWEST U.S. MILITARY
PRESENCE THERE IN TWO DECADES.
AND WHILE ISIS HAS LOST
TERRITORIAL CONTROL, THE THREAT
OF A RESURGENCE REMAINS IF THE
MILITARY WERE TO PULL OUT
ALTOGETHER.
NEWSHOUR WEEKEND SPECIAL
CORRESPONDENT LEILA MOLANA-
ALLEN, AND VIDEOGRAPHER ADRIAN
HARTRICK, WERE GRANTED ACCESS TO
TRAVEL TO BASES ACROSS IRAQ THAT
STILL HAVE A U.S. PRESENCE TO
FIND OUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND
WHAT THEIR FUTURE PLANS ARE.
>> Reporter: TOUCHING DOWN AT A
KURDISH BASE IN NORTH IRAQ,
COALITION SPECIAL FORCES ARRIVE
TO PROVIDE TACTICAL TRAINING.
JUST A FEW YEARS AGO THIS BASE
WAS FULL OF AMERICANS.
BUT NOW, LIKE OTHERS ACROSS
IRAQ, IT'S BEEN HANDED BACK TO
LOCAL FORCES.
THIS IS WHAT THE FOREIGN TROOP
PRESENCE IN IRAQ NOW LOOKS LIKE:
TRAINING, EQUIPPING, ADVISING."
NO COMBAT TROOPS" HAS BECOME
THE TOP LINE IN EFFORTS TO WALK
THE DIPLOMATIC TIGHTROPE OVER
TENSIONS THAT U.S. TROOPS STILL
REMAIN IN IRAQ 18 YEARS AFTER
THE INVASION.
EARLIER THIS YEAR THE AMERICAN
MILITARY COMPLETED AN AGREED
REDUCTION TO 2,500 TROOPS
COUNTRY-WIDE.
NOW THEY'RE IN TALKS TO WITHDRAW
ALTOGETHER.
THEIR STATED MISSION IS TO
DEFEAT ISIS.
WHILE THE GROUP NO LONGER HAS
ANY TERRITORY, THEIR SCATTERED
REMNANTS ARE STILL A THREAT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD HAPPEN
RIGHT NOW IF THERE WAS A FULL
DRAWDOWN?
>> THE DEFINITE RISKS ARE AN
ISIS RESURGENCE POTENTIALLY.
THE ENABLING CAPACITY THAT THE
COALITION PROVIDES IS REALLY
ESSENTIAL TO THE IRAQI SECURITY
FORCES AND THE KURDISH SECURITY
FORCES.
>> Reporter: COLONEL DAVID
WILLIAMS IS THE CHIEF COALITION
LIAISON WITH KURDISH FORCES IN
THE NORTH.
THE COALITION HAS PROVIDED
INTENSIVE TRAINING FOR YEARS TO
THE PESHMERGA, THE KURDISH
SECURITY FORCES, EQUIPPING THEM
WITH HIGH-LEVEL MILITARY GEAR
AND, SOME SAY, HELPING THEM TURN
A MOUNTAIN MILITIA INTO A WELL-
HONED AND MODERN FIGHTING FORCE.
THEY DO THE SAME FOR THE IRAQI
ARMY; THE COUNTRY'S TOP COUNTER-
TERRORISM FORCE WAS FOUNDED BY
U.S. SPECIAL FORCES, AND
MULTIPLE BRANCHES OF THE
SECURITY FORCES HAVE BEEN
TRAINED BY THEM; WHILE THE
PANDEMIC ENDED IN-PERSON
TRAINING, THE REGULAR EQUIPMENT
HANDOUTS CONTINUE.
THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT SAYS THE
COUNTRY'S ARMED FORCES, WHO WERE
SWIFTLY OVERPOWERED WHEN ISIS
SWEPT THROUGH MUCH OF IRAQ IN
2014, ARE NOW READY TO FIGHT THE
COUNTRY'S MULTIPLE SECURITY
THREATS ALONE. OTHERS AREN'T SO
SURE.
PESHMERGA GENERAL SIRWAN BARZANI
HAS WORKED HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE
COALITION FOR YEARS.
HE SAYS LOCAL FORCES COULDN'T
MANAGE IN A YEAR WHAT FOREIGN
FORCES CAN DO IN A FEW DAYS.
THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT HAS NOW
REQUESTED A FULL WITHDRAWAL OF
THOSE FORCES HERE, HOW DO YOU
FEEL THAT WILL AFFECT THE
SITUATION IN WIDER IRAQ?
>> WE NEED THE COALITION, WE
NEED THEM, AND IF THEY LEAVE WE
WILL FACE TOO BIG A PROBLEM WITH
THE TERRORISM.
>> Reporter: AS FOR THE ONGOING
TERRITORIAL DISPUTE BETWEEN
IRAQI KURDISTAN AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, THE WIDELY-HELD
FEELING AMONG KURDS THAT THEY
DESERVE MORE SUPPORT IN RETURN
FOR FIGHTING ISIS HASN'T GONE
AWAY; FOR KURDISH FORCES IN THE
NORTH WHO SEE THE AMERICANS AS
THEIR STRONGEST ALLIES, A
COMPLETE DRAWDOWN WOULD BE THE
WORST CASE SCENARIO.
SO, YOU DO FEEL THERE'S BEEN
ENOUGH SUPPORT FROM YOUR ALLIES?
>> NO.
OF COURSE, NOT ENOUGH.
THEY DO GIVE SUPPORT, BUT IT'S
NOT ENOUGH.
>> Reporter: AFTER ISIS LOST ITS
TERRITORIAL CONTROL, MANY OF THE
REMAINING FIGHTERS SCATTERED,
AND WENT TO GROUND ACROSS IRAQ,
TAKING THEIR IDEOLOGY WITH THEM.
THE COUNTRY'S HOSTILE INTERNAL
POLITICS HAVEN'T MADE TACKLING
THAT ANY EASIER; THE TERRITORIAL
SQUABBLES HAVE CREATED
UNGOVERNED AREAS THAT FLEEING
INSURGENTS HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE
OF.
COLONEL NAWROOZA HAS FOUGHT WITH
THE PERSHMERGA FOR THREE
DECADES.
SINCE 2018, HE'S WATCHED OVER
THIS PEAK IN THE MOUNTAINS NEAR
MAKHMOUR, SOUTH OF THE KURDISH
CAPITAL, ERBIL.
>> THESE BASES MARK THE END OF
PESHMERGA TERRITORY.
OVER THERE BY THE VILLAGES IS
THE IRAQI ARMY.
IN BETWEEN IN THE MOUNTAINS IS
ISIS, WHERE THEY HIDE
THEMSELVES.
>> Reporter: HE AND HIS MEN
WATCH FROM HERE AS IRAQI FORCES,
SUPPORTED BY COALITION AIRPOWER
AND INTELLIGENCE, DO THEIR BEST
TO ROOT THEM OUT.
A RECENT TWO-WEEK CAMPAIGN,
"OPERATION READY LION," TARGETED
THIS AREA, KILLING AT LEAST 30
INSURGENTS AND DESTROYING OVER A
HUNDRED HIDEOUTS.
THESE RAIDS AND OTHERS LIKE THEM
ARE CAREFULLY PLANNED AND
COORDINATED HERE AT THE BAGHDAD
INTELLIGENCE HEADQUARTERS KNOWN
AS THE SHARK TANK.
>> THEY RUN ALL THE I.S.R., THE
DRONES FOR SURVEILLANCE, THEY
RUN STRIKES, AND INTELLIGENCE.
A LOT OF THE STRIKE REQUESTS A
LOT OF TIMES INITIATE WITH THE
PARTNER, SO THE PARTNER COMES TO
US AND SAYS WE HAVE THIS INTEL,
CAN YOU STRIKE IT?
>> Reporter: BRIGADIER GENERAL
RYAN RIDEOUT HEADS UP THE
COALITION'S MILITARY ADVISOR
GROUP IN IRAQ.
HE SAYS THE PARTNERSHIP OF
FOREIGN AIR POWER FOLLOWED BY
LOCAL BOOTS ON THE GROUND IS NOW
WELL-PRACTICED.
>> IF WE BOMB AT NIGHT, THEY'LL
COME NEXT DAY AND DO A GROUND
CLEANSE.
WITH THE MAKHMOUR OPERATION, IT
WAS REALLY ABOUT A SUSTAINED
OPERATION OVER TIME, THAT BROKE
THE BACKS OF THE FORCES OF THOSE
GUYS HIDING IN THERE, SO THEY'D
LITERALLY RUN OUT OF FOOD, RUN
OUT OF WATER.
>> Reporter: THE COMBINED FORCES
HERE SAY THAT DESPITE DOZENS OF
ONGOING ATTACKS THE FIGHT
AGAINST ISIS IS NEARING ITS END.
BUT EVEN AS ONE THREAT REDUCES,
AN EVEN MORE UNPREDICTABLE ONE
HAS EMERGED.
THIS YEAR HAS SEEN DOZENS OF
ROCKET ATTACKS AT BASES ACROSS
IRAQ, CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE
AND KILLING TEN U.S. CONTRACTORS
AND LOCALS CAUGHT IN THE CROSS-
FIRE.
THE BASES ARE COVERED WITH BOMB
SHELTERS AND BLAST WALLS
EVERYWHERE YOU TURN.
THE TROOPS ARE WELL DRILLED IN
HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES INSIDE
THEIR BASES, RATHER THAN OUT IN
THE FIELD.
SO FAR NO AMERICAN TROOPS HAVE
BEEN KILLED IN THE ATTACKS; THE
WHITE HOUSE HAS WARNED THAT IF
EVEN ONE WERE, THAT WOULD MARK A
MAJOR ESCALATION. MEANWHILE, ALL
THEY CAN DO IS STAY ALERT.
>> THIS IS WHERE YOU COME,
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE, AND
WAIT FOR THE ALL CLEAR.
>> Reporter: WE'VE ENDED UP
SPENDING RATHER A LOT OF TIME IN
BUNKERS LIKE THESE.
IN THE WEEK THAT WE'VE SPENT
WITH U.S. FORCES, THERE WERE NO
FEWER THAN SIX THREATS CONFIRMED
SERIOUS ENOUGH TO SOUND ALARMS
AT BASES WITH A U.S. PRESENCE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND AT LEAST
THREE OF THOSE RESULTED IN
ACTUAL STRIKES.
IT'S NOT JUST ROCKETS THEY HAVE
TO CONTEND WITH NOW, BUT DRONES
RIGGED WITH EXPLOSIVES, WHICH
CAN BE MUCH HARDER TO TRACK AND
PROTECT AGAINST.
PRIVATE DAWSON HAD BEEN HERE
JUST A MONTH WHEN THE FIRST
DRONE ATTACK HIT HIS BASE IN
ERBIL.
>> IT'S ONE OF THOSE FIGHT OR
FLIGHT THINGS, IT KIND OF JUST
KICKS IN.
AND THAT WAS THE FASTEST I'VE
EVER RUN IN MY LIFE, I'M NOT
EVEN GOING TO LIE TO YOU.
I MEAN, I WAS, FORREST GUMP,
JUST GONE.
>> Reporter: THEY BELIEVE
THEY'RE BEING TARGETED BY
ELEMENTS OF THE FRAGMENTED LOCAL
SHIA MILITIAS, KNOWN AS THE
HASHD SHABI OR POPULAR
MOBILIZATION FORCES, WHO SINCE
AMERICA'S ASSASSINATION OF
IRAN'S TOP MILITARY COMMANDER
QASSEM SOLEIMANI IN BAGDHAD
EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO HAVE BEEN
PUSHING TO GET THEM OFF IRAQI
SOIL.
AND IT'S NOT JUST BASES BEING
ATTACKED.
MILITARY CONVOYS BRING VEHICLES,
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT OVERLAND
TO HAND OVER TO LOCAL FORCES.
A LOT OF THAT DIVESTMENT, AS
IT'S CALLED, HAPPENS HERE AT AIN
AL ASAD AIR BASE IN ANBAR.
SO, HOW MUCH HAVE YOU GIVEN SO
FAR THIS YEAR?
>> SO FAR THIS YEAR, SINCE
JANUARY, WE HAVE GIVEN OVER $200
MILLION OF ASSETS.
>> Reporter: IMPROVISED
EXPLOSIVE DEVICES, GUN ATTACKS
AND EVEN ROCKET FIRE HAVE BEEN
USED TO TARGET THE EQUIPMENT AND
DAMAGE IT EN ROUTE, BUT THE
PEOPLE GETTING HURT IN THESE
ATTACKS AREN'T AMERICANS.
>> IT'S IRAQI DRIVERS, WITH
THEIR OWN TRUCKS, IRAQI TRUCKS.
>> Reporter: SO ALTHOUGH THEY'RE
ACTUALLY SEEN AS U.S. CONVOYS
AND U.S. EQUIPMENT, IT'S IRAQI
PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING ATTACKED
WHEN THEY'RE TRANSPORTING THAT
EQUIPMENT TO YOU.
>> CORRECT.
SO, THIS IS ONE OF THE VEHICLES
THAT WE RECEIVED THAT WAS HIT BY
AN I.E.D. EN ROUTE.
SO, IT CROSSED THE MOTOR AND
DAMAGED THE BACK BOARD.
YOU CAN SEE MOST OF THE DAMAGE
INSIDE AS IT SHRED THROUGH
EVERYTHING.
>> Reporter: IRAQ'S PRIME
MINISTER MOSTAFA AL-KADHIMI
REQUESTED A FORMAL TIMELINE FOR
FOREIGN TROOP WITHDRAWAL EARLIER
THIS YEAR AFTER MILITIA LEADERS
ISSUED AN ULTIMATUM.
IN THE RUN UP TO AN ELECTION
PLANNED THIS OCTOBER, SOME FEAR
THEIR PRESENCE WILL BECOME EVEN
MORE OF A POLITICAL PLAYING
CARD.
IT'S A COMPLEX LEGACY.
THE MILITARY SHIES AWAY FROM
POLITICS; BUT THERE ARE FEW
IMAGES MORE POLITICALLY LOADED
IN IRAQ THAN AN AMERICAN
SOLDIER.
PARTICULARLY HERE IN FALLUJAH,
SCENE OF SOME OF THE DEADLIEST
BATTLES IN THE MID-2000s, AND AN
EMBLEM OF THE CRUELEST
REPERCUSSIONS OF THE CONFLICT.
TODAY, FAMILIES DRINK COFFEE BY
THE RIVER WHILE THEIR CHILDREN
PLAY IN SAFETY NEARBY, BUT THE
MEMORY LINGERS.
MUHANNAD AL-HADI, WHO WAS JUST
16 AT THE TIME, REMEMBERS
WATCHING HIS LITTLE BROTHER
KILLED WHEN HE SAYS U.S. FORCES
OPENED FIRE ON PROTESTERS.
>> (translated ): OUR HOUSE WAS
FACING THE SCHOOL WHERE THE
AMERICAN FORCES WERE.
THEIR RESPONSE WAS TO OPEN FIRE-
RELENTLESS AND AIMLESS OPEN FIRE
ON THE CITIZENS, AND WHOEVER
LIVED NEAR THE SCHOOL.
THE AMERICAN FORCES SHOT HIM
TWICE; A BULLET TO THE HAND, AND
ANOTHER ONE TO THE CHEST.
TWO BULLETS.
>> Reporter: HE WATCHED AS
12-YEAR-OLD ABED BLED TO DEATH
SLOWLY IN FRONT OF HIS HOME;
THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO COLLECT
THE BODIES FOR HOURS.
HIS MOTHER DIED WEEKS LATER; HE
BELIEVES OF A BROKEN HEART.
AFTER THAT, MUHANNAD HAD TO
RAISE HIS REMAINING FIVE
SIBLINGS ALONE.
BUT OTHERS FEAR A RETURN TO
IRAQ'S DARKEST DAYS AS A LAWLESS
SECURITY VACUUM IF U.S. FORCES
LEAVE FOR GOOD.
RAED JOUMAILY IS THE SAME AGE AS
AL-HADI.
IN 2006 HIS FATHER WAS KIDNAPPED
BY AL QAEDA AT A FAKE
CHECKPOINT.
HE WAS RESCUED WHEN U.S. FORCES
STORMED THEIR HIDEOUT TWO WEEKS
LATER.
>> (translated ): THAT'S WHY WE
WANT AMERICAN FORCES TO BE
PRESENT IN ALL IRAQI PROVINCES.
SO WE CAN GET RID OF ALL THIS
TERRORISM.
>> Reporter: HIS FATHER WAS
KIDNAPPED AGAIN THREE YEARS AGO
BY A LOCAL MILITIA.
THIS TIME, THERE WERE NO FOREIGN
FORCES TO TURN TO IN THE AREA.
HE BELIEVES IF THERE HAD BEEN,
HIS FATHER, WHO HASN'T BEEN SEEN
SINCE, MIGHT STILL BE WITH HIM.
THOSE WHO WANT THE FOREIGN
TROOPS OUT, SAY ISIS IS LONG
GONE.
THOSE WHO WANT THEM TO STAY, SAY
THE THREAT IS TOO REAL TO BE
ABANDONED JUST YET.
SO, THE U.S. FORCES, THEIR
PRESENCE, ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE?
>> AS LONG AS THERE'S AN
INVITATION.
I DON'T THINK WHAT THE U.S.
WANTS IS A COMPLETE DEPARTURE OF
FORCES.
THE IRAQIS WANT A NORMALIZED
MILITARY-TO-MILITARY TYPE
RELATIONSHIP.
>> Reporter: BUT IS THAT
POSSIBLE WHEN YOU'VE GOT
MILITIAS WHO MANY PEOPLE SAY
HAVE A HEAVY REPRESENTATION IN
THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT YOU'RE
WORKING WITH SENDING ROCKETS AND
DRONES AND EXPLOSIVES INTO YOUR
BASES?
>> THAT'S THE MILLION DOLLAR
QUESTION.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO BE IN CONFLICT
WITH THE MILITIAS, AND IF THEY
CREATE THAT SITUATION, WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE IRAQIS WANT,
THE IRAQIS WE DEAL WITH ON A
DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
THERE'S CERTAINLY I THINK A
PORTION OF IRAQIS WHO DO WANT
THAT, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
>> Reporter: AMID THE GLOBAL
POWER-PLAY, THE FRAGILE INCREASE
IN SECURITY IRAQIS CURRENTLY
ENJOY IS AT STAKE.
>> YOU ALREADY HAVE A BAD
ECONOMY, A LOT OF ACTORS PLAYING
IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, VERY EASILY
THINGS COULD DETERIORATE TO A
SITUATION WHERE ISIS COULD COME
BACK.
DISENFRANCHISED PEOPLE WHO ARE
ANGRY IS A RECIPE FOR A QUICK
RETURN OF ISIS.
>> Reporter: OTHERS, THOUGH,
ARGUE THEIR VERY PRESENCE HERE
IS THE TOUCHPAPER THAT WILL
IGNITE FURTHER CONFLICT.
AS TENSIONS CONTINUE TO
ESCALATE, THE TIME FOR A CHOICE
MAY SOON COME.