The confusion has taken hold of the debate about the presence of u.s. troops in Iraq after this Monday afternoon, the publication of the draft of a letter from a general in the u.s. Army, in which he announces that Washington will be moved its troops in Iraq in preparation for an eventual withdrawal from the country. In the letter to number two on the remote iraqi military, brigadier general William Seely ensures that the u.s. forces of the coalition antiyihadista will be “reorganized” in the face of “a withdrawal from Iraq safe and effective”. A u.s. official has confirmed to The Washington Post, the authenticity of the letter.
“we Respect their sovereign decision that commands our departure,” added the letter, according to France Presse, a day after the iraqi Parliament approved a motion to urge the government to expel the foreign troops, after the murder last Friday of the general iranian Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad. “Out of respect for the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and according to what is claimed by the Parliament and the prime minister, the Coalition will reorganize its forces […] to ensure that the withdrawal from Iraq is carried out safely and effectively”, she continues.
But minutes after posting of the contents of the letter, the u.s. minister of Defense Mark Esper, has been quick to deny any intention of removal, ensuring ignore the existence of the letter. “There has been no decision of any kind of leave Iraq,” said the head of the Pentagon journalists. “I don’t know what is that letter… We are trying to figure out where it comes from and what it is. But it has not taken any decision to leave Iraq. Point”.
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The letter is authentic, has clarified to the journalists the chief of staff, u.s., Mark Milley, but it was sent by mistake. “It was a project of letter is not signed,” he said. “It is a mistake made with entire good faith.”
The president of the united States, Donald Trump, had threatened Iraq with sanctions by the motion approved by the iraqi Parliament. Aboard Air Force One back to Washington after the holidays, the president has declared that if Iraq were to ask the forces of the US which is left and not do it in a friendly manner, they would impose sanctions as had never seen before. “The sanctions on Iran seem like something soft to your hand”, has compared.
Trump also made progress if their troops have to leave the country, Baghdad would have to pay Washington for the cost of facilities in the area. “We have an air base extraordinarily expensive there. The construction cost billions of dollars, made long before I arrived. We’re not leaving unless we paid for it”, picks up Reuters, citing statements in the president’s plane.
Before, the iraqi prime minister in functions, Adel Abdul Mahdi, had moved to the united States ambassador in Baghdad, Matthew Tueller, that both countries should work together to comply with the decision of the Parliament, a decision that the president, having resigned in November, is not authorized to sign. “Mahdi has stressed the importance of mutual cooperation in the implementation of the withdrawal of foreign troops and to establish relations with the united States on a proper basis”, stated his office said in a statement.
In response to the statements of Trump, the Foreign minister of Germany, Heiko Maas, has stated that “it is not very useful,” threatening Iraq with sanctions for a possible withdrawal of the foreign troops. “At least, I think that is not very useful at this moment”, has stated in an interview granted to the German radio station Deutschlandrunkfunk, which has emphasized that it has made a major investment in Iraq, “not only from the military point of view, but also to aid in the stabilization to rebuild the country.”
After the approval of the motion approved by the iraqi Parliament, Abdulkarim Khalaf, a spokesman for the first minister has already confirmed the start of the preparations for the withdrawal of foreign forces from its territory. “The Government has restricted the movements of the international coalition for land and air (…) Have been banned”. Khalaf has also criticized that the u.s. operations were unilateral without the knowledge of the General Command of the Armed Forces”. “These bombings are a stupidity which can not be tolerated,” he added.
The motion calls to the iraqi Government the cancellation of the agreement of collaboration with the international coalition against the Islamic State and to make efforts to end the presence of foreign forces in iraqi territory. It also urges the Executive to “put an end to all the activities of any foreign force in their land, and avoid the airspace of the country to be used for any purpose related to this mission. The motion includes the support of 170 mps shi’a and believes that the jihadist group has been defeated in Iraq, by what he sees unnecessary the presence of foreign troops in the area.
The threat of a Trump against Iraq is in addition to the advanced also against Tehran, which he claims attack on 52 targets iranians if Tehran hits the interests of the united States. Before the panorama and the promises of revenge from Iran, the Government of Washington has begun to send to the middle East to 3,500 soldiers and has increased their levels of cybersecurity.
