Press Briefing with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin

[yota691]

24-12-2019 02:49 PM

Trump's former adviser: America may negotiate with Iraqi demonstrators to arrange the transition away from Iran

 

 

Baghdad - News

Walid Fares, the former foreign relations adviser to US President Donald Trump and the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Atlantic Group, said today, Tuesday, that the United States may engage with Iraqi demonstrations to arrange a transitional phase to keep Iraq away from the goals of Iran that it wants to implement within it.

In a new article for him published in a British newspaper, and translated into "Al-Akhbariya", Fares said that "in Iraq, the administration expressed the words of the President and Pompeo that it stands beside the demonstrators, but at the same time it did not take a decision to use its capabilities on the ground to do any interference. The matter is various reasons, the most important of which is that taking a decision like this means that it needs all the efforts and time needed to be able to plan and implement it on the ground in Iraq for the benefit of America and the Iraqis, and the coming months will not enable it to do such a thing. "

He added, “However, what the Trump administration can do will be linked to the developments between the popular uprising and the government. As it became clear, the United States will not stand idle if Iran interferes more in Iraq. Either if the Iraqi movement continues and expands and can create change, America will not stand up to him, on the contrary, it may negotiate with him to arrange the transitional phase.

He explained: "The American standards in Iraq almost apply to Lebanon. Pompeo drew the general trend after announcing the right of the demonstrators to express themselves, but those who have the decision in the Lebanese file in Washington are divided on how to handle," noting that "the bureaucratic team prefers Continue with any Lebanese government even if it is in contact with "Hezbollah", on the principle of maintaining stability in this country, and we have seen David Hill's visit and his meetings with allied parties of the party.

The advisor continued: "There is another team in the administration, that considers the movement a real partner and that the army can be relied upon to protect the demonstrators. As is the case in Iran and Iraq, the Trump administration will continue to support the demonstrations, communicate with the government and impose sanctions on" Hezbollah ", and the only variable that May be linked to the movement of Hezbollah, a movement that violates the American red line, such as dragging Lebanon to an external confrontation or hitting the popular movement.

[Butifldrm]

Revealing the truth about Pompeo's "secret" visit to Iraq

 

 12/29/2019 05:04:05

 

Shafak News / Today, Sunday, a source at the American Embassy in Iraq revealed the truth of the "secret" visit that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was said to have made yesterday to Baghdad.

"There was no visit to Pompeo yesterday to Iraq, and what some media outlets spoke about was not true," the source said, noting that "Pompeo is a foreign minister and represents the highest diplomatic institution, and that he visited Iraq, he will visit him publicly," according to Russian media.

On Saturday, Iraqi media reported that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had visited Iraq in secret yesterday.

In a related development, Iraqi sources reported that tight security measures have been taken during the past two days at "Ain al-Assad" base in northern Baghdad after the attack on the K1 base in Kirkuk governorate last Friday.

The US Central Command confirmed the killing of an American civilian contractor and the injury of others as a result of firing missiles at the K1 military base near the city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq.

https://www.shafaaq.com/ar/سیاسة/الكشف-عن-حقيقة-زيارة-بومبيو-سرا-الى-العراق/

[yota691]

He revealed the truth of Pompeo's secret visit to Baghdad yesterday

Editing Date: 12/29/2019 14:19 • 283 times read

{International: Al Furat News} A source at the American embassy in Iraq revealed today, Sunday, the truth of the "secret" visit that was said by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo yesterday to Baghdad.

"There was no visit to Pompeo yesterday to Iraq, and what some media outlets spoke about was not true. Pompeo is a foreign minister and represents the highest diplomatic institution, and if he visits Iraq, he will visit him publicly," the source said in a press statement.
On Saturday, Iraqi media reported that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had visited Iraq in secret yesterday.

[Butifldrm]

Parliamentary Security: Pompeo's visit to Ein al-Assad is not without political objectives

12:11 - 29/12/2019

0

 

 

 

  

Information / Baghdad ..
The parliamentary security and defense committee ruled out, on Sunday, that the visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Ein al-Assad base yesterday, Saturday, is that it is an occasion to celebrate Christmas, stressing that the visit will not be without a special political goal.
Member of the committee, Representative Mahdi Taqi, said in a statement to "Information", that "the visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo yesterday to Ain al-Assad base will certainly not be a regular visit on the occasion of birthdays because he is a political minister and not a security."
He added, "The visit is not without special political goals, and we are in the crisis of naming the next prime minister, and that the American administration seeks to be the next prime minister in line with its policy towards Iraq and the region."
It is noteworthy that the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived yesterday, Saturday, at Ain al-Assad base that includes American soldiers, and the visit comes a day after the killing of an another site and the injury of many soldiers after several shells landed on the "K1" military base that includes American soldiers near Kirkuk city. Finished / 25 A.D.

https://www.almaalomah.com/2019/12/29/446478/

[yota691]

Parliamentary Committee: We will contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm Pompeo's secret visit

Sunday, December 29, 2019 80

 

Baghdad / Al-Sabah 

 

 

Yesterday (Sunday), the Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee confirmed that it will contact the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm the validity of the news circulated about the arrival of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Ain Al-Asad base in Anbar Province with a secret visit.

A member of the committee, Malhan Al-Mutawar, said in a press statement: “The Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee will contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to find out the truth about Pompeo’s secret visit to Ain al-Assad base in Anbar Province,” noting that “after confirming the validity of the news circulated, the matter will be discussed within the committee and inform the Presidency of Parliament For the purpose of discussing it.

Al-Muktar added that "discussion of the unofficial and secret American visits inside the House of Representatives is limited to the presidency of Parliament only."

And security sources have revealed that there is an intention by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to visit Ain al-Assad base in Anbar province in secret.

[Butifldrm]

Press Briefing by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo And Secretary of Defense Mark Esper

Home | News & Events | Press Briefing by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo And Secretary of Defense Mark Esper

 

 

 

 

Mar-a-Lago
Palm Beach, Florida

6:49 P.M. EST
 
SECRETARY POMPEO:  Good evening.  Myself, with Secretary Esper, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Milley, came here to Florida today to brief the President on the activities that have taken place in the Middle East over the course of the last 72 hours.
 
I will leave to Secretary Esper to talk about the military activity, but I want to put it in the context of our policy with respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran.  The attacks that took place against an Iraqi facility threatened American forces.  This has been going on now for weeks and weeks and weeks.  This wasn’t the first set of attacks against this particular Iraqi facility and others where there were American lives at risk.
 
And today, what we did was take a decisive response that makes clear what President Trump has said for months and months and months, which is that we will not stand for the Islamic Republic of Iran to take actions that put American men and women in jeopardy.
 
We will — we will always honor that commitment to take decisive action when that takes place, and we continue to demand that the Islamic Republic of Iran act in a way that is consistent with what I laid out, back in May of 2018, for what it is that we expect Iran to do so that it can rejoin the community of nations.
 
And with that, I’ll turn it over to the Secretary of Defense.
 
SECRETARY ESPER:  Thank you.  As we reported earlier today, the Department of Defense took offensive actions in defense of our personnel and interests in Iraq by launching F-15 Strike Eagles against five targets associated with Kata’ib Hezbollah, which is an Iranian-sponsored Shiite militia group.  The targets we attacked included three targets in Western Iraq and two targets in Eastern Syria that were either command and control facilities or weapons caches for Kata’ib Hezbollah.
 
The strikes were successful.  The pilots and aircraft returned back to base safely.  I would add that, in our discussion today with the President, we discussed with him other options that are available.  And I would note also that we will take additional actions as necessary to ensure that we act in our own self-defense and we deter further bad behavior from militia groups or from Iran.  Thank you.

 
END             6:51 P.M. EST

https://iq.usembassy.gov/press-briefing-by-secretary-of-state-mike-pompeo-and-secretary-of-defense-mark-esper/

[ronscarpa]

1 minute ago, Butifldrm said:

Press Briefing by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo And Secretary of Defense Mark Esper

 

Thanks for the post & video Butifldrm ... much appreciated..!

Ron 

 

[Butifldrm]

 

01/25/2020 11:24

• Views 393
• Section: Iraq
•  

A source reveals Pompeo's contact with Halbousi over the vote to oust US forces

Baghdad / Obelisk: An informed source revealed, on Sunday, January 5, 2020, that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo telephoned Speaker of the House of Representatives Mohamed Al-Halbousi, during which he requested to block the parliament’s session today, which is scheduled to take a decision against the American military presence, indicating that Pompeo informed Al-Halbousi He agreed with the Kurdish blocs not to vote on the draft, and it was not possible to confirm it.

"The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Muhammad al-Halbousi, received during the past few hours a phone call from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during which he requested that the emergency session not be held to vote on the removal of the American forces, and he urged him to request the Sunni representatives not to attend the session," the source said.

The source added, "Pompeo told Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi that he agreed with the Kurdish blocs not to vote on the draft resolution to remove US forces from Iraq."

The Babylonian bloc revealed earlier today, Sunday, that the United States of America put pressure on some political parties to prevent the holding of today's session, which is scheduled to witness taking decisions against the American military presence.

Follow the obelisk agencies

http://almasalah.com/ar/news/185410/مصدر-يكشف-عن-اتصال-بومبيو-بالحلبوسي-حول-التصويت-على-إخراج-القوات-الأمريكية

 

 

[yota691]

The US-led international coalition suspends training and suppor t for Iraqi forces

•  Time: 5/1/20 5:01 PM
•  
•  Reading: 65 times
•  

  

(Baghdad: Al Furat News) The international coalition led by the United States to fight the terrorist organization, ISIS, announced today, Sunday, the suspension of training and support missions for Iraqi forces due to the repeated rocket attacks on bases that include coalition forces.

Continued

[yota691]

05-01-2020 05:02 PM

Urgent: Under the leadership of the United States, the international coalition suspends training and suppor t operations for Iraqi forces

[fishing]

AP news Jan 5 10.05 am est/  Iraq's parliament approve the resolution to remove all us troops from Iraq. The article states that the kurd and sunni did not vote because they appose it.

[King Bean]

We need to do more than just pull training for their military. All the US has invested in the Iraq military and they couldn't keep protesters out of the Green Zone??? Pull US dollars for the currency auctions. Draw a line and stick to it. All those $$$ filter to Iran anyway, and the Iraq authorities know it. Throw US support 100% to the PEACEFUL citizen protesters and drain the Iraq swamp that is their TOTALLY USELESS government.

                                            

                                                                                                                 

[Spartakus]

Well, the US $ of the currency auctions come from the oil that Iraq sells to the world. We probably have to find a way to put them back on chapter7 and put some limits on their oil sells. 

BTW, as far as currency revaluation is concerned, imo, it's over. This is really sad because Iraq had peaceful 2018 and 2019 but procrastinated on purpose.

[DoD]

Trump needs to impose the same sanctions on Iraq as he has on Iran, your not gonna hurt the average Iraqi anymore than the Iranian terrorist regime is already doing. Stop them from selling the only thing they have to contribute to the world an watch this country go back into the Stone Age again. 

I’m sure Trump an the republican leaders has already thought of the consequences of taking out this terrorist an have a plan ready to implement....

[dinarbeleiver]

20 hours ago, Spartakus said:

Well, the US $ of the currency auctions come from the oil that Iraq sells to the world. We probably have to find a way to put them back on chapter7 and put some limits on their oil sells. 

BTW, as far as currency revaluation is concerned, imo, it's over. This is really sad because Iraq had peaceful 2018 and 2019 but procrastinated on purpose.

It’s not over the RV that is. This was always going to happen as Iran is completely infiltrated in Iraq. There will be a war and it’s likely to include over Iraqi airspace and land. The RV will happen just not this year or the next. Once the situation is sorted out and the companies and contractors return That’s when we should start seeing moves towards the rv. In the mean time I think trump is going to sort out the crap in both Iraq and Iran. Don’t give up this is just going to take longer 

[Butifldrm]

US Secretary of Defense: We have no plans to withdraw from Iraq

security

2020-01-06 | 17:10

 

Source:

Reuters 

 

10,219 views

 

 

US Defense Secretary Mark Asper announced on Monday that his country has no plans to withdraw from Iraq.

The news agency Reuters for Esber as saying that "his team is trying to learn more about the message of withdrawal from Iraq ."

 

"We have no plans to withdraw," he said, noting that "the matter may be about redeployment, not withdrawal."

 

https://www.alsumaria.tv/news/أمن/330835/وزير-الدفاع-الامريكي-لا-يوجد-لدينا-خطط-للانسحاب-من

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Butifldrm]

Esber denies the authenticity of the "withdrawal message" from Iraq .. and warns: the rules of the game have changed

January 06, 2020

 

American soldiers at Ein al-Assad base during US Vice President Mike Pence's visit, November 23, 2019

 

US Defense Secretary Mark Esber said that Washington has no plans to withdraw from Iraq, denying the authenticity of a message conveyed by the media about measures to withdraw at the invitation of the Iraqi government.

Speaking to reporters in Jordan, Esber said that Baghdad had not asked Washington to withdraw its forces, adding that the game and its bases in the region had changed.

Esber stressed that the United States will take deterrence and pre-emptive measures if the need arises to protect American forces in the region.

On Monday, the media reported that the US military had informed Baghdad of taking measures to relocate the international coalition forces to fight ISIS in the country, a day after a vote to end "the presence of any foreign forces" in Iraq.

The news agency reported that the letter stated that the US-led coalition forces will "reposition" in the coming days and weeks.

According to the same source, an American and an Iraqi military official confirmed the authenticity of the letter signed by Brigadier William Sealy III, commander of the American Task Force in Iraq,

On Sunday, the Iraqi parliament called on the government to request the exit of American forces from the country, following the killing of the commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Organization, Abu Hadi al-Muhandis, in a US strike in Baghdad.

On Sunday, Parliament held an emergency session in the presence of the outgoing Prime Minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, during which the deputies approved "ending the presence of any foreign forces" in Iraq.

The last batch of American soldiers left Iraq on December 8, 2011, before the previous US President, Barack Obama, returned US forces in 2014, at the request of the Iraqi government following the fall of provinces with the ISIS fist.

After the elimination of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, the Pentagon kept a number of soldiers in Iraq to prevent the resurgence of ISIS.

Currently, there are still 5,200 American soldiers on Iraqi soil, and a few hundred were deployed last week to enhance the security of American diplomats, following an attempt to storm the US embassy in Baghdad, led by militias in the crowd.

https://www.alhurra.com/a/الجيش-الأميركي-يبلغ-بغداد-بـ-إعادة-تمركز-قواته-في-العراق-/528200.html

[yota691]

07-01-2020 12:06 AM

Urgent: US Secretary of Defense: Washington has no plans to withdraw from Iraq

 

 

Baghdad / Al-Akhbariya:
US Defense Secretary Mark Esber confirmed that the United States of America has no plans to leave Iraq, after reports of the withdrawal were published earlier.
Esper told reporters at the Pentagon today, Monday, that the United States is not planning to withdraw from Iraq, after reports by "Reuters" and other media outlets about a message from the US military stating the withdrawal.
"There is absolutely no decision to withdraw from Iraq," Esber said, when asked about the message. "There were no plans to prepare for withdrawal," Reuters said, on Monday.
He continued: "I do not know what this message is, and we are trying to find out where it came from and what it described. But no decision was taken to withdraw from Iraq."
"The United States remains committed to confronting the terrorist organization" ISIS, "with its allies and partners," Esber added.
On Sunday, Parliament voted in favor of the government’s obligation to remove foreign forces from the country, cancel the security agreement with the United States, and cancel the request to assist the international coalition led by Washington in fighting terrorism.

[yota691]

Pentagon spokesperson: There is no change in the US policy of having its forces in Iraq

[yota691]

The US Secretary of Defense denies the news of the withdrawal from Iraq

- Two Hours Ago

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper denied reports circulated about US plans to withdraw from Iraq, after reports to Reuters and other media about a message from the US military stating the withdrawal.

"There is absolutely no decision to withdraw from Iraq," Reuters quoted Esber when asked about the letter, adding that there were not even plans to prepare for withdrawal.

For his part, US Chief of Staff Mark Miley said that the circulating message was a draft aimed at coordination, and it should not have been published.

In turn, the Pentagon spokesman confirmed that there is no change in the policy of the United States of America regarding the presence of its forces in Iraq.

He said that we are continuing to consult with the government of Iraq on defeating the Islamic State and supporting the Iraqi security forces.

The French press agencies and Reuters reported that American forces within the international coalition had informed Baghdad in an official message that they would relocate their forces outside Iraq in the coming weeks.
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The French Press Agency quoted a statement issued by the Joint Task Force in Iraq as saying that the decision came out of respect for the request of the Iraqi Parliament and Prime Minister, and the sovereign decision that called for the departure of the American forces.

In the letter signed by the Commander of the American Task Force in Iraq, Brigadier General William Sealy III, which was confirmed by a US military official and another Iraqi to the French news agency, the American army stated that the coalition forces - led by the United States - "will reposition their forces in the coming weeks."

For its part, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said that it cannot confirm or deny the authenticity of the message that the American forces intend to withdraw.

The head of the caretaker government in Iraq, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, stressed in a statement to his office after receiving the American ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Tooler, on the necessity of joint work to implement the withdrawal of foreign forces according to the decision of the Iraqi parliament, and to put relations with the United States on sound grounds, as he put it.

Source: Agencies

[yota691]

Pentagon Bats Down Reports U.S. Is Leaving Iraq

Multiple outlets cited a letter that Defense Department leaders say was a “mistake.”

BY LARA SELIGMAN

 | JANUARY 6, 2020, 5:10 PM

U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, left, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley testify in Washington on Dec. 11, 2019. ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES

The U.S. Defense Department scrambled on Monday to knock down reports that the military is withdrawing from Iraq just hours after the Iraqi parliament voted on a nonbinding resolution asking the government to eject U.S. forces in retaliation for the assassination of a top Iranian general on Iraqi soil.  

Multiple media outlets including the Washington Post reported Monday that the United States was withdrawing forces from Iraq, citing a letter sent from Brig. Gen. William Seely, the commander of the U.S. task force in Iraq, to the deputy director of Combined Joint Operations Baghdad. The letter, which was unsigned, stated that “in due deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister, [the U.S. military] will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement.”

But following the reports, the Pentagon rushed to deny that there would be an imminent U.S. withdrawal. Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, quickly called a media gaggle, telling reporters that they did not know where the letter came from and saying that there has been no decision to leave Iraq. 

“There is no decision to leave nor did we issue any plans to leave or prepare to leave—we are committed to the Defeat ISIS mission in Iraq alongside our allies and partners,” Esper said.

The drama unfolded as the Middle East reeled from U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision last week to kill Maj. Gen. Qassem Suleimani, the Quds Force commander who was considered the second most powerful Iranian after the supreme leader, a move that has raised fears of an all-out war. The Pentagon has mobilized thousands of additional forces to the region in recent days and halted the fight against the Islamic State in order to respond to the increased threat that Tehran will retaliate. 

The letter in question emerged just hours after the Iraqi parliament passed a nonbinding resolution asking the government to eject U.S. troops from the country. The move was largely symbolic, as the expulsion of U.S. troops requires signoff from Iraq’s executive branch. 

More confusion ensued after the informal briefing with Esper and Milley ended. Reporters had just minutes to tweet the breaking news before Milley unexpectedly returned to the press room to provide additional information. Milley said he had just spoken with Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command, who informed him that the letter was a mistake—although the Marine Corps general used more “colorful” language, according to Milley. 

In fact, the document was a draft that was sent to the Iraqi government for coordination purposes due to the increased movement of forces within Iraq, Milley said. 

Milley noted that military leaders routinely coordinate and share drafts with their Iraqi counterparts in order to get feedback. It appeared the draft was part of ordinary contingency planning in the aftermath of Suilemani’s killing and Gen. Seely’s attempt to notify his Iraqi counterparts that he was moving forces around within the country–not reflective of debate within the military leadership chain. 

The Washington Post reported that because the United States had suspended some training activities, it was moving training-related forces out of Iraq and bringing force protection forces into the country. 

“Bottom line, he said ‘hey, shouldn’t have happened, draft… honest mistake,’” Milley said, referring to the account from Gen. McKenzie. 

[yota691]

'Honest mistake' sets off alarm about US troops in Iraq

Lolita C. Baldor and Robert Burns, Associated Press

 Updated 5:37 pm PST, Monday, January 6, 2020

 

• 

Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, AP

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — For a few tense hours Monday, the United States appeared to have announced that American troops were pulling out of Baghdad after nearly 17 years.

Turns out, it was just an “honest mistake.”

“Here's the bottom line, this was a mistake,” Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said as he tried to unravel a knot of miscommunication that came at a time of already soaring tensions with the Middle East.

The bungled message started when a draft letter from Marine Brig. Gen. William Seely began circulating on social media. Addressed to an official at the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, the letter said U.S. troops would be “repositioning forces" to prepare for “onward movement."

Seely added, “We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure.”

 

 

The “order" Seely mentioned was a reference to the Iraqi parliament's vote over the weekend to expel U.S. troops after an American drone attack killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad.

A flurry of news reports followed Seely's letter, saying the United States was ending its military presence in Iraq.

 

But after a few hours of denials and frantic phone calls, top Pentagon leaders tried to do damage control, stating flatly that the U.S. had no plans to leave and saying the letter was a poorly worded draft that never should have gone out.

“Nobody's leaving," Milley said. “There's no onward movement. Honest mistake."

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the U.S. has been re-positioning troops, largely due to increased security threats from Iran. The letter was meant to coordinate with the Iraqi military on an increase in U.S. helicopter and troop movements as they shift positions around the country, Esper and Milley said.

 

“There's been no decision whatsover to leave Iraq,” Esper said. “There’s no decision to leave, nor did we issue any plans to leave or prepare to leave.”

It's not entirely clear who leaked the letter. According to Milley, the draft was circulated to key Iraqi officials as part of a coordination process to let them know about the increased helicopter movements. Officials say it was first posted on the website of an Iranian-backed militia group.

“Now it's a kerfuffle," Milley lamented.

 

Efforts Monday to reach Seely and his spokesperson were not successful.

The blunder is a black eye for the Pentagon at a time of high tensions stemming from the targeted killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force.

[nannab]

Well that clears this crisis up.  OOOOPS 

Thanks Yota   

[yota691]

Senior US General: The message on Iraq is drafted and badly worded

 

Posted by Ali Ejam

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -

A senior US general told reporters that a leaked message from the US military in Iraq on Monday had sparked impressions of an imminent US withdrawal from the country, which was only a poorly drafted draft aimed only to highlight an increase in troop movements.

Gen. Mark Millie, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, added that the message was “poorly worded and suggests withdrawal.” This is not what is happening, "he said, stressing that withdrawal is not planned.

 

[yota691]

The State Department: There is no intention to impose sanctions on Iraq

Policy

2020-01-07 | 07:02

 

5,541 views

The US State Department denied, today, Tuesday, the reports circulating that there are discussions to impose sanctions on Iraq, stressing that there is no intention to impose them now.

State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagas said in a televised statement that Iraq is a US ally and diplomatic options are still on the table.

Ortagas added that problems may occur between the allies and the diplomatic option is the best way to solve crises and problems between them.

 

On Monday, President Donald Trump threatened to impose sanctions on Baghdad they had never seen before, and that his country would not leave Iraq before paying the cost of its military bases it had built in that country.

And the newspaper " Washington Post ", earlier today, Tuesday, that the US administration began to prepare sanctions against Iraq , because of the adoption of his parliament a resolution calling for the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country.

The newspaper quoted representatives of the US administration, whose names were not mentioned, saying, " America started preparing sanctions against Iraq because of the adoption by its parliament of a resolution calling for the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country,"