The Trump administration has spurned a request by the Iraqi prime minister to begin planning for the withdrawl of American troops from the country.
Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi asked US secretary of state Mike Pompeo to begin putting together an exit stratgey on a call Thursday night, according to the prime minister’s office.
He also told Pompeo that recent US strikes in Iraq were an unacceptable breach of Iraqi sovereignty and in violation of the bilateral agreements,” according to the statement.
State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus called the US a “force for good” in Iraq and ruled out any discussion of a troop withdrawl in a statement.
“At this time, any delegation sent to Iraq would be dedicated to discussing how to best recommit to our strategic partnership—not to discuss troop withdrawal, but our right, appropriate force posture in the Middle East,” she said.
“America is a force for good in the Middle East,” Ortagus said. “Our military presence in Iraq is to continue the fight against ISIS and as the Secretary has said, we are committed to protecting Americans, Iraqis, and our coalition partners.”
Iraq’s parliament passed a resolution Sunday to remove US troops after the death of Suleimani, who was killed alongside senior Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Baghdad’s airport.
Meanwhile, Pompeo has been on Fox News defending the strike that killed Suleimani.
Meanwhile, Pompeo has been on Fox News defending the strike that killed Suleimani.
“There is no doubt that there were a series of imminent attacks being plotted by Qassem Suleimani,” he said. “We don’t know precisely when and we don’t know precisely where, but it was real.”
