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News > U.S.

'Don't Use Iraq to Spy on Iran,' Says Iraq President Salih

  • Iraq's President Barham Salih attends a forum in Baghdad, Iraq February 4, 2019. REUTERS Wissam al-Okili

    Iraq's President Barham Salih attends a forum in Baghdad, Iraq February 4, 2019. REUTERS Wissam al-Okili | Photo: Reuters

Published 5 February 2019
Opinion

“Don’t overburden Iraq with your own issues,” replied Iraq’s President Barham Salih to the U.S. presidents’ statement.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently stated he would use his country’s base in Iraq to closely watch Iran, a claim which has been rejected by the Middle Eastern nation.

RELATED: 
Trump Will Increase Iran Intelligence Gathering From Iraq

“Don’t overburden Iraq with your own issues,” replied Iraq’s President Barham Salih to the U.S. presidents’ statement.

“The U.S. is a major power (...) but do not pursue your own policy priorities, we live here,” added Salih.

This is the second affront to the Iraqi government by President Trump in recent months. In December 2018, Trump flew to the Al-Asad Airbase to talk to troops without even paying the Iraqi government.

Iraqi lawmakers have also responded to the latest action, labeling the White House’s intentions in Iraq as a “blatant and overt violation of sovereignty and national will,” according to local media source, Rudaw.

Last Saturday, President Trump announced his intention to keep troops in Al-Asad Airbase with the aim of keeping a close watch on Iran.

President Trump was asked if he would employ the Iraqi base to launch a future attack on Iran, to which he responded, “No because I want to be able to watch Iran. All I want to do is be able to watch.”

However, recently, the White House’s request for a document outlining “military options to strike Iran” was reported by the Wall Street Journal, for the first time.

U.S. presence in Iraq has been unwelcome also from Iraqi lawmakers who have rejected it and organized a vote to expel military troops.   

At the beginning of January, the Sairuun parliamentary block voiced its stark opposition to U.S. forces remaining in Iraq and some within the group called for a vote on the decision to expel the troops from the country.

“With the increasing number of foreign forces in Iraq particularly after the US decision to relocate its forces from Syria to the western and northern parts of Iraq and establish further bases there, more and more parliamentarian fractions are inclined towards urging the government to ouster foreign forces including those of the US from our country,” Iraqi MP for the Coalition for Reforms and Construction Mohammed al-Baldawi told the Fars news agency.

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