Hot News

Letter on US pullout from Iraq sent by "mistake" @ 2020-01-07T20: Back Hot News
Keyword:from Iraq
Concept:
PARLIAMENT HAS VOTED TO ASK THE GOVERNMENT TO END AN AGREEMENT TO HOST US TROOPS IN IRAQ. THE MOVE WOULD OUST ALL FOREIGN SOLDIERS, INCLUDING THOSE FROM GERMANY. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS THREATENED IRAQ WITH SANCTIONS. (05.01.2020)
IT IS THE FIRST COALITION WITHDRAWAL SINCE THE IRAQI PARLIAMENT VOTED ON SUNDAY TO CALL FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF US FORCES FROM THE COUNTRY. THE NON-BINDING RESOLUTION HAS PROMPTED A CHAOTIC RESPONSE FROM US OFFICIALS.
U.S. ARMY SOLDIERS FROM 1ST BRIGADE, 25TH INFANTRY DIVISION, TASK FORCE-IRAQ MAN A DEFENSIVE POSITION AT FORWARD OPERATING BASE UNION III IN BAGHDAD LAST MONTH. TASK FORCE-IRAQ PUBLIC AFFAIRS VIA REUTERS HIDE CAPTION
「IT WAS A WRONG ACT FROM AMERICA BECAUSE AMERICA SHOULD HAVE COORDINATED WITH THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT,」 SAID AMEER ABBAS, A PROTESTER, WHO SHARED THE WIDESPREAD VIEW THAT THE AMERICAN ATTACK WAS A VIOLATION OF IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY.
THE U.S. STRIKES IN IRAQ AGAINST IRANIAN-BACKED MILITIAS AND QASEM SOLEIMANI WERE NECESSARY, BUT THEY ALWAYS RISKED A NATIONALIST BACKLASH. THE IRAQI PARLIAMENT』S SYMBOLIC VOTE SUNDAY TO OUST U.S. TROOPS FROM THE COUNTRY IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT BACKLASH, BUT IT』S ALSO FAR FROM THE LAST WORD.
NEW YORK AND LONDON (CNN BUSINESS)CHEVRON HAS EVACUATED ALL OF ITS AMERICAN OIL WORKERS FROM IRAQ FOLLOWING LAST WEEK"S US AIRSTRIKE IN BAGHDAD.
ALL THIS HOUR, WE"RE TALKING ABOUT THE FALLOUT FROM THE U.S. DRONE STRIKE THAT KILLED TOP IRANIAN MILITARY COMMANDER QASSEM SOLEIMANI. ONE COUNTRY THAT IS LIKELY TO BE ON THE FRONTLINES OF THAT FALLOUT IS IRAN"S NEIGHBOR, IRAQ, WHERE THE DRONE STRIKE OCCURRED AND WHERE IRAN EXERTS SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE. TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW THAT HAPPENED, WE"VE CALLED ON FARHAD ALAALDIN. HE"S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE IRAQ ADVISORY COUNCIL. THAT"S A GROUP THAT CONSULTS INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS ON SECURITY ISSUES IN IRAQ. HE IS ALSO A FORMER ADVISER TO TWO IRAQI PRESIDENTS.
HE ADDED THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT 「THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE FOREIGN FORCES FROM IRAQ IN A WAY THAT WOULD NOT DAMAGE THE BATTLE AGAINST ISIS AND WOULD PRESERVE THE SOVEREIGNTY OF IRAQ AND KEEP ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COUNTRIES OF THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION」 THAT IS FIGHTING THE ISLAMIC STATE IN IRAQ.
ANOTHER WARNING WAS ISSUED BY ABU ALI AL-HUSSEINI, THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS CHIEF OF KHATAIB HEZBOLLAH, THE IRAN-BACKED MILITIA WHOSE BASES IN IRAQ AND SYRIA THE UNITED STATES BOMBED A WEEK AGO. HE SAID THE IRAQI MILITARY SHOULD STAY AT LEAST A HALF-MILE AWAY 「FROM THE AMERICAN ENEMY BASES」 STARTING ON SUNDAY EVENING. ANY IRAQI MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO STAYED WITH THE AMERICANS, HE SUGGESTED, WERE ACTING AS 「HUMAN SHIELDS.」
BUT JUST DAYS AFTER THE KILLING OF SOLEIMANI NEAR BAGHDAD’S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AMERICA’S MIDDLE EAST STRATEGY APPEARED TO BE UNDER SEVERE STRAIN. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF IRANIANS TURNED OUT TO MOURN SOLEIMANI, WHOSE EXPLOITS IN CONFLICTS FROM SYRIA TO YEMEN MADE HIM A NATIONAL HERO TO MANY. IN IRAQ, WHERE PROTESTS HAD RECENTLY BEEN FUELED BY FRUSTRATION OVER IRAN’S MEDDLING, PRESSURE SHIFTED TO THE CONTINUED U.S. PRESENCE.
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LETTER IS... WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM, WHAT THAT IS. BUT THERE'S BEEN NO DECISION MADE TO LEAVE IRAQ. PERIOD."
THE U.S. AND IRAQ AGREED TO THE REINTRODUCTION OF AMERICAN TROOPS IN IRAQ FOUR YEARS AGO TO HELP FIGHT AGAINST ISLAMIC STATE TERRORISTS. THAT CAME AFTER ALL U.S. TROOPS HAD BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM THE 2003 U.S. INVASION FORCE THAT EVENTUALLY TOPPLED IRAQI DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN.
WASHINGTON (CNN)DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JOE BIDEN DISHONESTLY SUGGESTED ON SATURDAY THAT HE HAD OPPOSED THE WAR IN IRAQ "FROM THE VERY MOMENT" IT BEGAN IN 2003 -- EVEN THOUGH BIDEN"S CAMPAIGN SAID IN SEPTEMBER THAT HE "MISSPOKE" WHEN HE MADE A SIMILAR CLAIM.
IRAN HAS VOWED TO RETALIATE AND PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WARNED THAT U.S. FORCES WOULD HIT BACK AT 52 IRANIAN TARGETS IF AMERICANS COME UNDER ATTACK. IRAQ』S PARLIAMENT HAS ALSO CALLED FOR THE EXPULSION OF ALL AMERICAN TROOPS FROM IRAQI SOIL, WHICH COULD REVIVE THE ISLAMIC STATE GROUP IN IRAQ, MAKING THE MIDDLE EAST A FAR MORE DANGEROUS AND UNSTABLE PLACE.
THEY HAVE TRIED TO AVOID THE ESCALATION OF THIS CONFLICT AFTER THE SIEGE OF THE EMBASSY. THE PRIME MINISTER OF IRAQ PERSONALLY INTERVENED AND CLEARED THE PROTESTERS AWAY FROM THE U.S. EMBASSY AND PROMISED THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE HANDLED POLITICALLY. BUT THEN THEY WERE CAUGHT AGAIN IN THIS STRIKE, SO THEY HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO RESPOND TO THE HEAVY PRESSURE FROM THE STREETS. IRAN HAS VERY POWERFUL ALLIES, ARMED GROUPS AND ALSO SOCIAL GROUPS INSIDE IRAQ. THE WAY THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT RESPONDED WAS PRETTY MUCH EXPECTED.
REPRESENTATIVE ANDY KIM, DEMOCRAT OF NEW JERSEY, WHO SERVED AS THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL』S DIRECTOR FOR IRAQ UNDER MR. OBAMA, SAID THE STRIKE WOULD MOST LIKELY ELICIT 「A VERY SERIOUS BACKLASH」 FROM A NUMBER OF IRAQI LEADERS FOR TAKING THE ACTION ON IRAQI SOIL, AS WELL AS FROM SHIITE COMMUNITIES 「THAT ALREADY WERE PROTESTING AND UPSET IN RECENT DAYS.」
SO WHILE OUR POSITION IN IRAQ IS UNCERTAIN - AND JUST BECAUSE WE"VE BEEN IN IRAQ FOR 16 YEARS, IT DOESN"T MEAN WE HAVE TO STAY THERE. I THINK A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS WOULD LIKE US TO LEAVE. I UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY"RE COMING FROM. BUT PERSONALLY, AS SOMEONE WHO SERVED IN IRAQ AND WHO SERVED WITH A LOT OF FINE IRAQIS, I"D LIKE TO CONTINUE THE PARTNERSHIP.
IRAQ, LACKING A FUNCTIONING GOVERNMENT, NOW FINDS ITSELF TRAPPED IN A FRAY OVER WHICH IT HAS LITTLE CONTROL, COMPELLED BY PUBLIC INDIGNATION TO DENOUNCE THE AMERICAN AIRSTRIKES ON ITS TERRITORY BUT LOATH TO LOSE THE AMERICAN COUNTERBALANCE TO IRAN AND ITS PROXIES. IRAN, APART FROM ITS POLITICAL CALCULATIONS IN IRAQ, IS ALSO STRUGGLING UNDER AMERICAN ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AND WOULD NO DOUBT LIKE TO MAKE AMERICA』S HOSTILITY AS COSTLY AS POSSIBLE FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
OSMAN: ABSOLUTELY, YES. YOU KNOW, QASSEM SOLEIMANI HAS BEEN PART OF THE POLITICAL SCENE IN IRAQ SINCE THE EARLY DAYS OF 2003. HE WAS INVOLVED IN ALMOST EVERYTHING, STARTING FROM GOVERNMENT FORMATION, NAMING PRIME MINISTERS IN THE COUNTRY, FIGHTING ISIS. THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME WHERE HE WAS ON THE GROUND AND AMERICAN FIGHTER JETS WERE IN THE SKY. AT ONE POINT, HE HAD TO WORK WITH THE AMERICANS THROUGH THE IRAQI FORCES AND THROUGH HIS PROXIES FROM THE MILITIAS. SO IT"S HARD TO SEE IRAQ WITHOUT QASSEM SOLEIMANI, IN A NEGATIVE WAY, OF COURSE.

 

88iv | Home |  Login
Mobile | Full
Forum rule | About Us | Contact Info | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Statment | Disclaimer
Copyright (C) 2025
Suntek Computer Systems Limited.
All rights reserved