Lawmakers want US forces gone
BAGHDAD: Iraqi lawmakers have demanded US forces leave the country following a surprise visit by President Donald Trump that politicians denounced as arrogant and a violation of Iraqi sovereignty.
Politicians from both blocs of Iraq’s divided parliament yesterday called for a vote to expel US troops and promised to schedule an extraordinary session to debate the matter.
‘‘Parliament must clearly and urgently express its view about the ongoing American violations of Iraqi sovereignty,’’ said Salam alShimiri, a lawmaker loyal to the populist cleric Moqtada alSadr.
Trump, making his first presidential visit to troops in a troubled region on Thursday, said he had no plans to withdraw the 5200 US forces in the country.
Containing foreign influence has become a hotbutton issue in a year that saw alSadr supporters win the largest share of votes in May elections. AlSadr has called for curbing US and Iranian involvement in Iraqi affairs.
US troops are stationed in Iraq as part of the coalition against the Islamic State group. American forces withdrew in 2011 after invading in 2003 but returned in 2014 at the invita tion of the Iraqi Government to help fight the jihadist group.
But after defeating IS militants in their last urban bastions last year, Iraqi politicians and militia leaders are speaking out against the continued presence of US forces on Iraqi soil.
Qais Khazali, the head of the Iranbacked Asaib Ahl alHaq militia that fought key battles against IS in north Iraq, promised on Twitter that parliament would vote to expel US forces from Iraq, or the militia and others would force them out by ‘‘other means’’.
Trump spent three hours at a US air base meeting American troops during his visit. The president defended his decision to withdraw 2000 US forces from neighbouring Syria, saying the US military had all but eliminated IScontrolled territory there.
He left without meeting any Iraqi officials, though he spoke to Prime Minister Adel AbdulMahdi by phone.
The prime minister’s office said after Trump’s visit that ‘‘differences in points of view’’ over arrangements led to a facetoface meeting between the two leaders to be scrapped.
AlShimiri said Trump’s visit ‘‘violated several diplomatic norms’’. — AP