CENTCOM commander Gen. Frank McKenzie quietly visited Iraq on Tuesday, with multiple media reports describing him as having “slipped” into the country to try to bolster US-Iraqi ties during what he described as a period of “turbulence.“
That’s putting it mildly. In January, the US launched an airstrike against Baghdad International Airport, assassinating a visiting Iranian general, as well as Iraq’s own Gen. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of the government’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). In response, Iraq’s parliament voted 170-0 to call for the expulsion of all foreign troops, especially US troops.
The US has made clear it have no intention of leaving, and McKenzie said he believes there will be a “way forward,” presumably a way that doesn’t involve any US troop cuts.
US efforts to try to improve Iraq ties may be difficult at this point because the Iraqi government is in some serious turmoil, expecting new elections soon but with no timetable, and with protesters calling for Iraq to forge a new, independent policy, not dependent on any foreign powers.
The Pentagon wasn’t entirely transparent as to who McKenzie met with, but did say that he was personally “heartened” by the reaction that he got. McKenzie also said he pushed for deploying Patriot missiles into Iraq.
Well in Arab lands there is the concept of “blood money”. Pay off the families of the victims. We have already spent 2 trillion on this idiocy what is another 20 million or so?
Only our commander in chief can order major redeployment of soldiers and materiel.
Would these Patriot missiles prevent future attacks against the Baghdad International Airport?
What would those Patriot missiles target? Not the Israeli drones roaming the Iraqi sky from US bases, killing freely.
They’d protect US bases from Iran’s missiles, so that the US could stay and fight Iran from Iraqi soil. That is exactly what the Iraqi government has said it does not want.
Therefore, the Iraqis should refuse to allow the missiles. Instead, they should demand a departure schedule.
Do us a favor, make us leave.
Nothing secret or quiet about it if posted on Foxnews.
I believe General McKenzie’s first name is Kenneth not Frank. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Central_Command
Actually it appears he also goes by the nickname Frank so the article is fine as is..