The choice facing Iraq is stark: dismantle the PMF to preserve its relationship with the US and ensure regional stability, or face dire consequences.

Iraq remains a pivotal component of Iran's 'Axis of Resistance,' and failing to confront these militias could critically undermine US strategic interests in the Middle East.

Since October 7, 2023, Iran-backed militias have conducted over 160 attacks on US forces, including a deadly strike by Kata’ib Hezbollah in January 2024 that resulted in the deaths of three American soldiers.

If Iraq fails to disarm these militias, it risks being labeled a state sponsor of terrorism, which would lead to severe economic and diplomatic repercussions.

Experts are calling for US intervention to assist Iraq in dismantling the PMF, including the imposition of sanctions against Iranian figures in Iraq to diminish the militias' influence.

Experts Michael Knights and Kenneth Pollack warn that Iraq's backing of Iran-aligned militias has transformed the nation into a state sponsor of terrorism, posing a significant threat to both regional stability and US interests.

The Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), initially established in 2014 to fight ISIS, have evolved into a formidable militia network closely linked to Iran, undermining the authority of the Iraqi government.

With a budget of approximately $3 billion and around 235,000 troops, the PMF has become a rival to the official Iraqi military, further complicating the security landscape.

US military aid to Iraq has inadvertently bolstered these militias, violating US laws against funding terrorism and transforming American investments into instruments of Iranian influence.

As US President Donald Trump begins his second term, there is an urgent need to disarm Iran-backed militias in Iraq, given their destabilizing impact.

Despite previous commitments to control these militias, they have gained substantial political and military power, challenging the sovereignty of the Iraqi state.

The article highlights the extensive human and financial toll of the Iraq War, which has left the country as a fertile ground for terrorism that the US initially sought to eradicate.