According to State Department officials, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called former Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on Sunday, demanding that the Iraqi government defend US troops who are stationed on the ground in Iraq.
Pompeo told Abdul Mahdi that the government needs to hold militias responsible for attacking US forces accountable, and threatened further US military action “in self-defense” if more attacks happened. On Sunday, more rockets hit a US base, wounding three troops.
This is generally the US position, evinced by US attacks on militia bases last week after the US decided to blame that militia for a previous rocket attack. The US has blamed those militias and labeled them “Iran-backed,” though in practice they are Shi’ite groups who are part of the Iraqi government.
Even less clear is what the point of Pompeo telling that to Abdul Mahdi was, as he’s resigned twice in the last few months, both times amid mounting US tensions. First he resigned after parliament voted to expel the US and the US threatened to bankrupt the country with sanctions. Abdul Mahdi agreed to serve as acting-PM until a replacement was decided on, then earlier this month he resigned from that as well.
Iraq’s president has been making comments recently, since he’s the only top figure still in power, but Pompeo seems to hope that Abdul Mahdi has enough political influence to at least pass the message along.
If rule of law meant anything in Iraq, placing the militias under government control was a good idea, as they can’t attack U.S. troops without condemning their own government.
Unfortunately, discipline to rule of law was lost with the demise of Baathism, and had not really been all that legitimized by the late Iraqi President-for-life’s rule or subsequent invasions and occupations.
Pompeo kind of faces the not-cute version of herding cats in Iraq. COVID-19 at home only magnifies the sense not only of U.S. weakness, but unholy offense.
Since Iraq is religious, COVID-19 will be almost certainly seen as Allah’s condemnation of the hated occupier. However complicit the nouveau bought Shia elites may want to be.
Which probably isn’t much at all in the face of pandemic fear. Iraqis may come to see their COVID-19 suffering as Allah’s judgement on those complicit with U.S. occupation as well…
Dear Mr.Pompeo the Iraqi people would not attack you if you left the country as you have been asked to. Why the hell don;t you go home?
Yes, fat-face Pompass, the Iraqi people wouldn’t attack you if you left the country as you’ve been asked to do. Just zip it and go home. You’re nothing but a coward and a pathological liar.
I agree entirely. Its a shame people like him represent America.
I guess it didn’t occur to anyone that we invaded that country and the citizens have every right to be offended and throw us out- by force if necessary.
So Pomp is asking Iraq to protect US troops that Iraq told us to please remove from their country? Even in a robotic warmonger’s brain, this should be causing a divide by zero type error …?
When you have occupation forces in a nation that has asked us to leave, it’s not Self Defense.
He forgot the…”no matter how much it costs, or how long it takes” Didn’t trump just issue a threat to Iran based on hostages from 50 years ago ?
Attacking those resisting your illegal occupation is not self defence you ignorant fat oaf.
Not like the US is a threat to a country that’s been bucking them for how many years?