Baghdad to determine fate of US forces in Iraq: Iraqi FM
The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein. Photo: Iraqi Foreign Ministry
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fuad Hussein, confirmed that the international coalition forces, led by the United States, are present at the invitation of the Iraqi government.
In an interview with Al-Arabiya News, Hussein said that Iraq is the one that determines the need for the US forces to remain or not, stressing the need to prepare the domestic situation before starting negotiations for the withdrawal of these forces from Iraq.
“According to the results of the negotiations, a decision will be made as to whether the forces will withdraw or will gradually withdraw,” Hussein explained. “We do not want to create a chaotic situation in our relations with Washington,” he added.
The Iraqi Foreign Minister mentioned that Baghdad confirmed to Washington that the Iraqi government is committed to maintaining calm, considering that the recent events, which included attacks and counterattacks, are unacceptable.
Hussein illustrated that Prime Minister Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani is constantly communicating with all parties to maintain peace.
Al-Sudani stated on Tuesday that Iraq has not set a date for the swift and orderly negotiation of the withdrawal of US-led military forces from its territory, describing their presence as destabilizing considering the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Prolonged demands for the withdrawal of the US-led coalition from Iraq by primarily Shiite Muslim groups, many of whom are connected to Iran, have gathered momentum following a series of US strikes on armed groups with ties to Iran that are also affiliated with the country’s official security services, according to Reuters.
Fears that Iraq may once again become a place of regional conflict have been aroused by those strikes, which were carried out in retaliation for scores of drone and missile attacks on American soldiers since Israel began its war on Gaza.
The Iraqi Prime Minister told Reuters that it is important to rearrange the relationship between Baghdad and the international coalition to ensure that it is not used as a target by any internal or external party to undermine the stability of Iraq and the region.
Al-Sudani noted the importance of a timeline for the coalition’s withdrawal that is short to prevent the forces from staying too long and the attacks from continuing.
The Pentagon said on Monday that it was not presently intending to withdraw its 2,500 personnel from the country.
The Prime Minister’s remarks took place a day after a US attack in Baghdad killed a commander in the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), provoking Iran-backed groups, which called for ending the presence of the US-led coalition in Iraq.
The Pentagon Press Secretary, Pat Ryder, said on Tuesday that the US forces in Iraq and Syria have been subjected to 127 attacks since October 17, 2023.
Iraqi factions warned Washington against attacks targeting US bases in Syria and Iraq because of the support the United States provides to Israel in its war on the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The war on Gaza has entered its 97th day, as the Israeli bombing of various areas in the northern and southern parts of Gaza continues in light of the worsening humanitarian and health catastrophe and the exacerbation of tension in the West Bank.