A strongly-worded representative responded to the US Central Command’s announcement that Iraqis wanted their forces to remain in the country
A strongly-worded representative responded to the US Central Command’s announcement that Iraqis wanted their forces to remain in the country
7/8 2020 18:38
Ayna News – Baghdad
the leader of the Al-Fateh Alliance, Saad Al-Saadi, commented today, Wednesday, on the statements of Central Command of the US Central Command, General Kenneth Mackenzie, in which he hinted at the presence of a prospective Iraqi decision to keep his country’s forces in Iraq to help him confront ISIS.
Al-Saadi said, “The decision of the Iraqi Council of Representatives to remove all foreign forces, at the top of which is the American forces, is binding on the government of Mustafa Al-Kazemi, and all government agencies concerned with this file, and no person or entity can procrastinate in implementing this decision, whatever the arguments and excuses.”
And that “the dream of the survival of the American forces, under any title, will not be fulfilled, and this matter is agreed upon politically and popularly, and the government is obligated to implement this matter, and in the event of any procrastination and procrastination by the government, the national political forces will have a word and position, it is not acceptable to stay Any occupied force in Iraq, especially since we do not need any foreign forces on the ground. ”
And earlier today. The commander of the US Central Command, General Kenneth McKinsey, confirmed after a meeting with Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi that the Iraqis want America to stay with them, according to the Washington Post.
After meeting Al-Kazemi, McKinsey came out, saying, “Iraq has no urgent desire for the American forces to leave, and I am convinced that the Iraqis want us to stay.”
He added, that Al-Kazemi “is walking in a minefield, I think we should help him, and he is still trying to find the most appropriate way, which may mean that we will reach less than optimal solutions, which is not new regarding Iraq, but I consider myself an optimistic person when I look.” To the prime minister and to what he does. ”
In a McKinsey call to reporters after leaving Iraq, the American general expressed confidence that the Iraqi government would ask American forces to remain in the country, despite previous demands to withdraw them. ”
And with Washington and Baghdad assuring last month that American forces will not seek to establish permanent bases in Iraq, However, high-ranking US military personnel emphasized the need to keep some form of a continued American presence to fight the continuing threat from ISIS.
McKenzie declined to comment on the number of US forces that should remain in his view in Iraq, saying that this decision is up to civilian leaders, although Trump has repeatedly spoken of He withdrew the forces from Syria and Afghanistan, but he did not focus on Iraq in this regard,
and there are currently more than five thousand American soldiers in Iraq,
and the Iraqi Council of Representatives voted, on the fifth of last January, on the decision to remove foreign forces, which was obligated on Washington With Baghdad conducting a strategic dialogue, he started his first tour on June 11, and the second round is expected to start soon
alliraqnews.com