Iraq’s Fatah Calls for Expulsion of US Troops during Pentagon Chief's Visit
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Fatah (Conquest) Alliance in Iraq's parliament emphasized the need for expelling all American troops during an unannounced visit by Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to Baghdad on Tuesday.
Fatah Alliance lawmaker Karim Aliwi said that the issue of expelling US troops is not a factional decision but rather a "definitive" and "national option." He added that efforts are ongoing at both public and political levels to conclude the case of US forces' presence on Iraqi soil. "There will be no negligence or hesitation in expelling the Americans," Aliwi told Iraq's al-Maluma news agency.
The visit came days ahead of the 20th anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq based on the false claim that Saddam Hussein's regime possessed weapons of mass destruction. The US withdrew its troops from Iraq between 2007 and 2011 but redeployed them in 2014 purportedly to counter the threat of the Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terrorist group.
Despite Iraq's efforts to end the territorial rule of the Takfiri outfit with the sacrifices of the national army and the anti-terror Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), which had Iran's support, the US still maintains its forces in the country. The US military declared the end of its combat mission in Iraq in December 2021, but it still retains troops under the guise of providing advisory and training roles.
Aliwi urged the Iraqi parliament to implement the 2020 resolution to expel US military personnel, saying that the continued presence of American forces violates UN decisions.
Earlier, a Syrian Foreign Ministry official strongly condemned “the illegal visit by the American chairman of the chiefs of staff to an illegal American military base in northeast Syria.”
Mike Milley’s visit was “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and integrity” of Syrian territory, the official said, calling on “the US administration to immediately cease its systematic and continued violation of international law and support for separatist armed groups.”
The US has been criticized for violating international law and supporting separatist armed groups in the Middle Eastern countries where it has been committing war crimes and looting oil and natural resources.