Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani reaffirmed on Thursday his desire for the US-led international coalition in Iraq to withdraw, saying it’s “necessary” for the country’s security.
The coalition, known as Operation Inherent Resolve, is in Iraq in the name of fighting ISIS, but al-Sudani has repeatedly said that Iraq’s security forces could handle the remnants of the terrorist group. “Today, with the people of Iraq as witnesses, ISIS is no longer a threat to the Iraqi people,” he said.
Tensions have been soaring in Iraq as Shia militias have been targeting US bases with drone and rocket attacks since mid-October in response to President Biden’s support for the Israeli onslaught in Gaza. Al-Sudani started calling for the withdrawal of US forces after the US began launching airstrikes in response without consulting his government.
A recent US drone strike in Baghdad killed a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of Shia militias that was formed in 2014 to fight ISIS and is part of Iraq’s security forces.
“Today, after the aggression on the Iraqi security forces’ positions, we have to start a discussion in order to reach an understanding to form a timeline to end the mission of the international advisors and move towards bilateral relations in every sector, just like any other country in the region and the world,” al-Sudani said.
While al-Sudani continues to state that he wants foreign forces to leave, the Pentagon said earlier this month that it has no plans to withdraw. If al-Sudani tries to force them out, the US can make things very difficult for him.
The US has leverage over Iraq because the country’s foreign reserves have been held by the US Federal Reserve, giving Washington control over Baghdad’s dollar supply and the ability to devalue the Iraqi dinar. An Iraqi source told The New Arab that al-Sudani should not make an enemy out of the US for this reason.
“The Iraqi government and the political leaders are better to know that Iraq is incapable of making the US its enemy because with one statement from the US administration, the value of the Iraqi dinar will crash and the current Iraqi regime will collapse,” the source, described as a member of Iraq’s “ruling elite,” told the outlet.
The source claimed Iraq is not serious about expelling the US, suggesting al-Sudani’s comments are just for PR purposes to satisfy domestic critics of the US presence. “Therefore, the Iraqi government always makes its position as balanced between the US and Iran fronts and cannot align to one front. This is the best policy Iraq can adopt now. Iraq is not serious about exiting the US and the coalition forces, as the Iraqi parliament has previously made a decision to expel the foreign forces, but it never carried out,” the source said.
“The US has leverage over Iraq because the country’s foreign reserves have been held by the US Federal Reserve, giving Washington control over Baghdad’s dollar supply and the ability to devalue the Iraqi dinar.”
Holy eff, I had NO idea. What a dick move !
Hey Iraq – they can easily change the name to BRIICS if you care to join. And yours can be the first nation to adopt the common BRICS currency if/when/when that (i so desperately hope) comes to pass.
We have our troops in Syria to guard the oil fields from those dastardly Syrians.
Watch soon for a name change: “Operation we won’t leave”
This begs the question. Why not demand its deposits, repatriate them?
Based on Iraq’s knowledge of Mafia movies, that would not be a smart move. I don’t think Iraq was at the table when the decision to keep its money was made. That money is as gone as Russia’s $300 B foreign deposits. It wouldn’t surprise me if they don’t give it to…. ISRAEL! Hahaha. You thought I was going to say Zelensky–didn’t you? They will give Russia’s money to Zelensky and Iraq’s money to Israel. That’s what a good Mafia would do.
BB may demand both.
Agreed
That’s like saying Ike Turner’s withdrawal was necessary for Tina Turner’s security. No shit. The Middle East is packed with battered spouses masquerading as states. May Allah help them, and I seriously mean that.
Iraq needs to call the criminal American regime’s bluff. Force them to collapse your economy. Short term pain for long term gain. Such an action would only speed up the rest of the world telling us to take a hike with our blood soaked dollars. As Uncle Sapien said, I bet the BRICS block could step in to help.
“Yankee dollar talk
To the dictators of the world
In fact it’s giving orders
An’ they can’t afford to miss a word
I’m so bored with the U…S…A…
But what can I do?”
-Joe Strummer
This used to be called “Colonial Imperialism”. Now it is called “Spreading Democracy and Freedom”. Go figure.
“”Now it is called “Spreading Democracy and Freedom”.””
really, now? all of a sudden? WTF did Bush sr call it 40 years ago or Bush jr 20 years ago call it? nope, all of a sudden it is some kind of liberal BS?
maybe liberals are ass-holes but damnit conservatives have a freakin collective screw loose.
Neoconservative ambition for global domination is one of the things that liberals and conservatives agree on. Now, and since the end of WWII at the least. And always under the cover of spreading democracy and freedom.
There are no screws loose in this, it is a systematic project to gain all the benefits of colonial rule without the costs of directly occupying and managing colonies. Hence the description, “Neocolonialism”.
But in Iraq the cover is flaking off.