Iraq Prepares to Evict U.S. Troops | Foreign Policy - March 2019 |

Momentum is building among deputies in the Iraqi parliament to oust U.S. troops entirely from the country--an outcome that would leave Iraq's political future in the hands of neighboring Iran and leave its citizens more vulnerable to the Islamic State.

Today, the United States fields an estimated 5,200 troops in Iraq. They are there as part of a security agreement with the Iraqi government to advise, assist, and support that country's troops in the fight against the Islamic State. But the Iraqi parliament is expected to vote soon on draft laws calling for a full withdrawal. For now, things don't look good for the troops.

For one, there's a strong union of Iranian and Iranian-backed military and political powers that is actively trying to push the United States out. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Qassem Suleimani, who is close to the Fatah Iraqi political faction, is determined to do so. The party of the Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who is usually at odds with Suleimani but is in agreement on this issue, has said all foreign troops must go, not just the Americans.

The purported reason? More sovereignty. Fadhil Jabr Shnein, a deputy in the Iraqi parliament and a member of a leading pro-Iranian parliamentary group--Asaib Ahl al-Haq, the paramilitary arm of which fought in Syria to keep President Bashar al-Assad in power--said in an early March interview with the Arabic publication Al-Etejah Press, "There is a broad consensus among the various political blocs and national forces to eject foreign presence in all forms." However, Shnein's reference to "foreign" forces likely does not include Iranian forces, as his coalition is loyal to Iran.

The Shiite commanders of the Iranian-backed Iraqi militias, known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, are likewise pushing for a U.S. withdrawal. Qais al-Khazali, a virulently anti-American Shiite commander who is close to Suleimani, even threatened U.S. troops on his Twitter account. He claimed the U.S. presence was intended to serve Israel and not Iraq, and he vowed to target U.S. troops if they do not leave the country.

UANI - United Against Nuclear Iran

"And so, it seems the U.S. is prepared to let Syria fall completely to the Assad-Russia-Iran-Hezbollah alliance, a huge boon for Iran's expansionist project..." (_link)

— UANI (@UANI) December 19, 2018

Cross-posted from my earlier diary - A Blatant Violation of Iraq's Sovereignty (Dec. 2018).

○ Coalition of the Willing Against Iran: US Justice Dept, Ungar, UANI and Mossad by Oui @BooMan on Aug. 1, 2014
○ Obama Turncoats: CNN Facilitates UANI Advocate Pro-Israel by Oui @BooMan on June 29, 2015
○ Trump's Jews a Shanda by Oui @BooMan on April 17, 2018

Secretary Mike Pompeo in Baghdad meeting threatens Iran

○ Pompeo, in Iraq, warns of 'imminent' Iran threat | France24 |
○ Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad to meet with Shia leaders | Kurdistan24 |

From my recent diary - Pompeo shuns Berlin to fly to Baghdad in secrecy.

One day in the summer of 2018, Soleimani's modest façade dropped--to be replaced, albeit briefly, by righteous anger. The source of his ire was one to which many Americans might relate: a furious tweet from President Trump. On this particular occasion, the object of Trump's wrath was Soleimani's nominal boss.

"To Iranian President [Hassan] Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!"

The same old ... Britain in step with the Americans in the Middle East. Remember 1953 and British Petroleum!

.@SecPompeo and I discussed #Iran last week in London and again in Brussels on Monday. We share the same assessment of the heightened threat posed by Iran.  As always we work closely with the US 🇬🇧 🇺🇸

— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) May 16, 2019