US rejects Iraq’s call for troops to get out Iraq/United States
Iraq’s caretaker prime minister has asked Washington to work out a road map for an American troop withdrawal, but the US State Department yesterday bluntly rejected the request, saying the two sides should instead talk about how to ‘‘recommit’’ to their partnership.
Thousands of anti-government protesters turned out in the capital Baghdad and southern Iraq, many calling on both Iran and the United States to leave Iraq, reflecting their anger and frustration over the two rivals – both allies of Baghdad – trading blows on Iraqi soil.
The request by Adel AbdulMahdi pointed to his determination to push ahead with demands for American troops to leave Iraq, stoked by the recent US drone strike at Baghdad’s airport that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
In a phone call, he told US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that recent US actions were unacceptable breaches of Iraqi sovereignty and a violation of their security agreements, his office said.
The State Department flatly dismissed the request, saying US troops were crucial for the fight against the Islamic State group, and it would not discuss removing them.
Iraqi lawmakers this week passed a non-binding resolution to oust US troops, following the drone strike that killed Soleimani and senior Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Isis gloated yesterday in its first comments on Soleimani’s slaying, saying his death ‘‘pleased the hearts of believers’’.
The demand for a troop withdrawal is not universal. Sunni and Kurdish lawmakers, who oppose the parliament resolution, see the US presence as a bulwark against domination by majority Shiites and Iran. Kurdish security forces have benefited from US training and aid.