Congress is struggling to figure out America's diplomatic role in Iraq after the Islamic State's defeat amid looming budget cuts and a risk-averse culture following the Sept. 11, 2012, attack in Benghazi, Libya.

Just back from a trip to Iraq and Lebanon, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., warned Feb. 28 that there is a risk that Shiite militias in Iraqi could become a major political force just like Hezbollah in Lebanon. He urged a "longer-term political commitment" in Iraq to help reconcile warring sectarian parties and stop that from happening.

"The Shiite militias are an enduring and existential problem for Iraq as they attempt to turn battlefield success into political success," Corker said at a hearing on "Iraq after Mosul." He added, "Candidly, we're setting the precursor for in some ways a Hezbollah-like entity in Iraq, just like we have in Lebanon."

That message doesn't seem to be getting through to a Donald Trump administration largely fixated on short-term counterterrorism operations, however. The White House on Feb. 27 proposed a $54 billion increase in military spending, paid for by cuts in domestic programs and foreign aid.