A senior Iraqi military official speaking to The New Arab said the US has violated the terms of its agreement to maintain a military footprint in Iraq due to the presence of “offensive weapons” at an American base.
The unnamed Iraqi official said he saw offensive weapons, including Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, during a visit to the Ain al-Asad base in western Iraq. “This is contrary to the agreement concluded in 2021, which allowed the presence of defensive weapons with the advisory task force,” the official said.
In December 2021, the US changed its presence in Iraq from a “combat role” to an “advisory role” to placate the many elements in Iraq who want the US to leave. But the US did not withdraw any troops and still has about 2,500 troops in Iraq today.
The Iraqi government has been under pressure to expel the US since January 2020, when the US killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike in Baghdad. In the wake of the assassination, Iraq’s parliament voted to end the US military presence.
The US says it’s in Iraq to help the government fight ISIS remnants, but the presence also supports the US occupation of eastern Syria. The Iraqi military official who spoke with The New Arab said Baghdad will press the US about the offensive weapons at the Ain al-Asad base, especially considering US activity in neighboring Syria.
Over the past week, the US-backed Kurdish-led SDF in Syria has been fighting against local Arab tribes in Deir Ezzor, who have also received support from the US. According to The New Arab, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said the US-led coalition had provided air support in the fight against the Arab tribes, but the claim is not confirmed.
Quel surpriso? The US broke an agreement. What else is new? The biggest surprise is that any country was stupid enoughn to believe them in the first place. That is not the history of agreements the US has made over 200 years.
Here’s the real reason why the Iraqis cannot kick the US out: https://new.thecradle.co/articles/the-us-holds-iraq-hostage-with-the-dollar. But that’s not funny. What’s funny is we claim that we’ve taken those funds hostage because we’re concerned about corruption in Iraq!? (Impossible Sarcasm)
It looks like Iraq should join BRICS. Collapsing the USD is the only way to end the empire and bring the troops home. This will hopefully also precipitate a regime change in Washington.
To be clear, I’m not arguing for an insurrection or collapse of the USD. But it wouldn’t surprise me to see articles in the MSM soon arguing that we can’t afford peace because it’s more expensive than war. (Sarcasm)
Right. I want to live under a roof for my remaining days.
I am. I am not arguing for violent insurrection but a movement in the vein of Dr. MLK, Jr. or Gandhi. The success of this movement will only be realized when the American people are feeling enough pain to think clearly.
Edit to “… precipitate a more perfect union with a new capitol near the geographic center of the lower US contiguous 48 states.”
No, US stayed in Iraq to receive, sell and distribute the Stolen Syrian oil and food…!
The truth needs no over simplification ,does it?….
An old story. After the war, we remain. See Germany, Japan, Korea (South), et al.
re: “The US says it’s in Iraq to help the government fight ISIS remnants”
That”s baloney. The US has supported ISIS from its inception, starting with the “Caliphate,” then ISIL then ISIS which promoted a Sunni force to work against Iran’s Shiite interests. Instability is a US trademark.
Here’s Senator Rand Paul in 2014:
re: Instability is a US trademark.
–from the authority, Justin Raimondo–
The US is an aggressive power that attacks many nations at will. It also lies constantly to other governments (and its own people).
The US lies about attacking Syria from Iraq. It lies about withdrawing from Iraq. It just constantly lies. And it commits the war crimes of aggressive war, using Iraqi territory to do that.
Furthermore, the US intends to attack Iran from Iraqi territory, and intends to lie about that too.
“This is contrary to the agreement concluded in 2021, which allowed the presence of defensive weapons with the advisory task force,” the official said.
This guy must have won the trophy for most gullible if he believed that shit at any point. Defensive weapons? Sure. Unlike offensive weapons, they don’t kill people, they defend them.