Posted on 01/05/2020 11:26:17 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
Iraqi lawmakers approved a resolution Sunday calling to expel U.S. troops from the country, following an American drone attack that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
The resolution asks the Iraqi government to end the agreement under which Washington sent forces to Iraq more than four years ago to help in the fight against the Islamic State terror group.
"The Iraqi government has an obligation to end the presence of all foreign forces on Iraqi soil and prevent it from using Iraqi lands, waters, and airspace or any other reason," Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halboosi said in an address to lawmakers before the vote.
The majority of about 180 legislators present in Parliament voted in favor of the resolution. It was backed by most Shiite members of parliament, who hold a majority of seats. Many Sunni and Kurdish legislators did not show up for the session, apparently because they oppose abolishing the deal.
But the Iraqi Parliament vote doesn't mean that the U.S. military has to leave the country immediately. It's a non-binding vote, which is seen as mostly symbolic.
The 5,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq at the invitation fo the country's executive branch, the Prime Minister's officer -- not Parliament. It is up to the Iraqi Prime Minister whether the troops will be expelled.
The vote comes two days after a U.S. drone strike killed Soleimani at the Baghdad airport, ratcheting up tensions in the region and raising fears of war.
There are over 100,000 Iranian-backed militia fighters in Iraq. Their leaders have called for “revenge” for Soleimani’s death.
Meanwhile, the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq has officially “paused” the training of Iraqi forces and the support of their operations against ISIS to focus on protecting its troops and bases, according to a coalition statement released Sunday.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Non-binding. Islamist virtue signaling.
Et tu, Faux News? You know damn well that vote was a non-binding resolution. Jerks.
lol exactly!
thought we should of left that shit hole LONG ago!
I guess Iranian troops in Iraq are not considered foreign troops.
I agree, expel all of our troops.
No more americans in Iraq
You mean raising hopes of war for you bloodthirsty sacks of crap at Faux News.
Trump should announce he will go along with such a request, if it’s officially made by the government... with the understanding that the embassy will have to close. No point leaving Americans in harms way.
This is not an official request, by the way. This is a non-binding resolution.
But Trump should look at this as a way out, a way out that most Americans will support and that even the f*d-in-the-head left won’t be able to criticize.
This was a vote by Iran's proxies, not by those representing the Iraqi people.
We have missed several opportunities to declare victory and bring the troops home. I have no freaking idea why we are still there.
“The Iraqi government has an obligation to end the presence of all foreign forces on Iraqi soil”
INCLUDING Iranian military leaders???
The “insurgents” in Iraq were foreign nationals waging jihad. It is phony to say that American (and allied) troops are the only foreigners engaging in “war” in Iraq.
Our war AGAINST Iraq ended with the capture of Saddam Hussein.
Got any vote totals?
Meanwhile, the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq has officially “paused” the training of Iraqi forces and the support of their operations against ISIS to focus on protecting its troops and bases, according to a coalition statement released Sunday.
Save the drama for someone else, if your base or you need to be eliminated it will happen.
So relax and quit concerning yourself about something you have no control over.
Party split.
Council of Representatives of Iraq 2018.svg
Political groups
Government (189)
Forward (54)
Fatah Alliance (48)
KDP (25)
National coalition (21)
Wisdom (19)
Reform (14)
Opposition (140)
Victory (42)
State of Law (25)
PUK (18)
Minorities (9)
Others (55)
Under Trump, American fatalities per year:
2019* 8
2018 17
2017 22
Admittedly, a few of the years under Obama were even lower, but still... this is a pretty good record.
Not to denigrate these 47 individuals (or their wounded compatriots) but there are issues at stake that might justify such losses. Iran would definitely take over Iraq if we left. Maybe that’s ok. But we should be ready for that.
Miss Saddam yet? The days of Iran and Iraq countering each other actually made things more “stable”. Regime change (dictator removal) has done nothing but install worse Islamic regimes and light a fire to the region. I cannot say one American KIA and other causalities along with multi Trillion price tag was worth this new POS Iraq.
The Iraqis should recall that the Americans are not there because we were invited in and welcomed with open arms. We are there because we fought our way in and established ourselves there. We will leave when we are ready to leave. Meanwhile, if the Iraqi government continues to beat the Iranian drums against us, we should start exploring splitting Iraq into 3 countries like should have been done in 03. Shia, Sunni and Kurd. Separate the tribes into different countries.
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