Iraqi Parliament Expels Foreign Militaries From Iraq

moon of alabama

Updated throughout - 16:06 UTC

As predicted here, here and here:

The National @TheNationalUAE - 14:34 UTC · 5 Jan 2020
Iraqi Parliament has voted for ending the presence of foreign troops in Iraq, limiting arms to the Iraqi states and to lodge an official complaint against the US at the UN.

From the National report:

Parliament voted on a five-point action plan that would require the Iraqi government to end the presence of foreign troops in the country, and withdraw its request for assistance from the anti-ISIS global coalition. This would require new legislation to cancel the existing agreement.Parliament also called on the government to ban the use of Iraqi airspace by any foreign power.
The Iraqi foreign minister has been directed to head to the UN to lodge an official complaint against the US strike.

The Iraqi Prime Minister and the whole cabinet supported the resolution.

Before the vote Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi told the parliament that he was scheduled to meet with Soleimani a day after his arrival to receive a letter from Iran to Iraq in response to a de-escalation offer Saudi Arabia had made. The U.S. assassinated Soleimani before the letter could be delivered by him. Abdul-Mahdi also said that Trump had asked him to mediate between the U.S. and Iran. Did he do that to trap Soleimani? It is no wonder then that Abdul-Mahdi is fuming.

The Prime Minister's letter to the General Secretary of the UN and the Secretary of the UNSC is here.

Foreign troops in Iraq included about 5,000 from the U.S. as well as a number of other NATO countries engaged in training Iraqi troops. There are also Turkish troops in north Iraq who fight against the PKK. Those will also have to leave but may not do so voluntarily.

Without any bases in Iraq the U.S. position in Syria will become untenable.

Elijah J. Magnier @ejmalrai - 14:40 UTC · Jan 5, 2020
#Iran #IRGC commander #QassemSoleimani managed to reach with his death what he couldn't reach when he was alive. That is his last spectacular act for Iran and for the "Axis of the Resistance": legislation forcing the US to withdraw and cease all kind of collaboration.

It is somehow ironic that the U.S. has spent lots of lives and money to "spread democracy" in Iraq only to be kicked out through an Iraqi  parliament vote.

There is a clear danger in this act. The Trump administration is now likely to see Iraq as completely in the Iranian camp. 

That never was and never will be true but that is how it will be seen. The U.S. may therefore again start to pay (with Saudi money?) Sunni extremists, i.e. ISIS, to change the current situation to its advantage.

That is one reason why I recommend to Iraq to invite Russia to train its army.

Posted by b on January 5, 2020 at 15:09 UTC | Permalink

https://www.moonofalabama.org/2020/01/iraqi-parliament-expels-foreign-militaries-from-iraq.html