Iraq takes first steps for expulsion of foreign troops/ Disputed official letter shows US Military prepare to ‘Move Out’

by Abbas Adil

SHAFAQNA- After approving a bill in Iraqi Parliament on Sunday, the country is taking first steps for expulsion of foreign troops. On Monday Iraq’s prime minister delivered his country’s Parliament plan for ending US troops presence in Iraq to the American ambassador in Baghdad. On the same day, the US military informed its counterparts in Baghdad it is preparing for ‘movement out of Iraq’, but Pentagon says Iraq withdrawal letter was not authorized. 

Since the US brutal attack to Baghdad airport on January 3rd, which resulted in the assassination of General Soleimani and Commander al-Muhandis, Iraqi political leaders from all spectrum have called for expulsion of US troops from Iraq in a show of unity among factions.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi on Sunday criticized the strike as a “political assassination,” and urged parliament to take “urgent measures” to force the exit of American troops.

Iraqi Parliament’s Five-point Action Plan

The vote by the Iraqi parliament was one of several significant developments on Sunday related to American foreign policy in the region. The Iraqi parliament voted to expel foreign troops from the country and revoke its request for assistance from the anti-ISIS international coalition.

The Iraqi parliament has called on the Iraqi government to revoke its request for assistance from the anti-ISIS international coalition, move to end the presence of foreign troops on Iraqi soil, to ban the use of Iraqi airspace for any reason, submit a complaint to the United Nations against the US for violating the sovereignty of Iraq and the monopoly of arms by the government.

The full text of the Iraqi Parliament’s five-point action plan is as follows:
The House of Representatives, in its twenty-eighth session, held on January 5th, issued the following decision to maintain the security and sovereignty of the Iraqi territory and nation based on the constitutional authority:
1. To oblige the Iraqi government to cancel the request for assistance from the international coalition fighting against ISIS, due to the end of the military and war operations in Iraq and achieved victory and freedom of the areas.
2. The Iraqi government must do everything to stop the presence of all foreign forces on its soil and ban them from using its air, land and water space for any reason.
3. The Iraqi government and foreign ministry must submit a complaint to the United Nations against the US for violating the country’s sovereignty and security.
4. The Iraqi government should also conduct investigations at the highest possible level to identify the ambiguities of the US bombing and report the results to the House of Representatives within seven days of the ruling.
5. This decision is effective from the date of voting.

Iraq Submit UN Complaint Against US for Violation of Sovereignty

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday it had submitted two letters to the UN and asked the Security Council to condemn General Soleimani’s “assassination”.

The complaint is about “American attacks and aggression on Iraqi military positions and the assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani on Iraqi soil,” the ministry said in a statement.

It described the attacks as “a dangerous breach of Iraqi sovereignty and of the terms of US presence in Iraq.”

Also on Sunday, Iraq’s Foreign Ministry summoned US Ambassador Matthew Tueller on the back of repeated American airstrikes on Iraqi soil.

The foreign ministry stated that the act was “a flagrant breach of Iraq’s sovereignty and of all international laws and norms that regulate relations between countries and prohibit the use of their lands to carry out attacks on neighbouring countries”.

Drafting of a mechanism for deportation of foreign troops from Iraq

The spokesman of the Iraqi Armed Forces’ General Commander announced the launch of a mechanism to deport foreign troops from Iraqi territory.

Abdul Karim Khalaf on Monday said in a statement that under this mechanism, the activities of the international coalition forces would be limited to training, armaments and consultations.

“The Iraqi government has prepared a mechanism to begin the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, so the work of international coalition forces will be limited to consultations, armaments and training, and the armed forces will be deported”, he continued.

Khalaf added that the Iraqi government restricted international coalition’s activities either on land and air and did not allow them to operate anymore. “The Americans carried out solitary operations without informing the headquarters of the armed forces, and the recent attack by the Americans is a folly that one cannot remain silent about it”.

“General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force, was our guest and could not be targeted because his presence in the country was demanded by Iraq”, he emphasized.

The spokesman for the Iraqi Armed Forces’ General Commander said that President Donald Trump’s threat to impose sanctions against Iraq is not correct and Iraq would cooperate with the Americans in the economic field. He also indicated to foreign countries’ opposition to any sanctions against Iraq.

Earlier Trump said if the US were forced to leave Iraq, it would not be on “friendly” terms. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he treated “If they do ask us to leave, if we don’t do it in a very friendly basis, we will charge them sanctions like they’ve never seen before ever. It’ll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame.”

Parliament Plan Delivered to US Ambassador in Baghdad 

In a Monday meeting, Iraq’s prime minister also announced and delivered his country’s Parliament plan for ending US troops presence in Iraq to the American ambassador in Baghdad, Matthew H. Tueller.

Abdul Mahdi said that the countries must work together to implement US troop withdrawal, after briefing the envoy about ongoing issues in Iraq.

The Iraqi official also told the ambassador that Iraq is doing everything it can to prevent a descent into open war after the US assassinated Iranian commander Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike.

A Disputed Official Letter Shows US Military Prepare to ‘Move Out Iraq’

An official letter appointed to US military’s Task Force Iraq is leaked which shows the US military informed its counterparts in Baghdad on Monday it is preparing for “movement out of Iraq”.

The head of the US military’s Task Force Iraq, Brig. Gen. William Seely, sent a letter to the head of Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, a copy of which was seen by AFP.

The letter said forces from the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq would “be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement”.

“In order to conduct this task, Coalition Forces are required to take certain measures to ensure that the movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner,” said the letter, dated Monday.

Soon, the Pentagon said Iraq withdrawal letter was not authorized and disputed that US troops are preparing to withdraw from Iraq.

US Army General Mark Milley along with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, saying the letter was a “mistake,” told reporters it was only a draft and had not been sent. He said he had just spoken to Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the head of US Central Command, about it.

“He used other words that were a little more colorful than mistake,” Milley said, according to reports from Pentagon reporters who were present.

Sources: Washington Post, RT, Fars News, Mehr News, Baghdad Today, NPR, AFP, Politico

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