Iraq Needs No Foreign Forces on Its Territory: MP
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Noting that Iraq’s law-making body has voted on the withdrawal of foreign forces, member of Iraqi Parliament Ali Naama said that there are efforts to implement the decision and achieve full sovereignty for the nation by the withdrawal of those forces.
"The decision of the House of Representatives on the withdrawal of the American forces from the country needs to be implemented on the ground," Naama told Al-Maalomah news agency. "Especially since there are many demands for their withdrawal and an end to their presence in Iraq."
According to Almaalomah, Naama emphasized that Iraq has been able to defeat the toughest terrorist organization, Daesh (ISIS or ISIL), through its own security forces and popular mobilization, without the need for American forces that are still present in the country.
He further noted that the security apparatus has high-level leaders capable of confronting terrorism and achieving victory over it, and thus Iraq does not need any foreign forces on its territory.
"The Parliament has nothing to do but to tighten its movements to (ensure the) withdrawal of the American forces and achieve full sovereignty," Naama concluded.
The decision comes amid increased demand from the country’s political factions, among which, the Fatah (Conquest) Alliance in the Iraqi parliament has called for an immediate withdrawal of all US-led foreign military forces from the country, days after the anniversary of the assassination of top anti-terror commanders by the US military in January.
Hadi al-Amiri, the head of the alliance, used the Iraqi Army Day on January 6 as an opportunity to reiterate the call for putting an end to the presence of foreign forces in Iraq.
The achievements of the Iraqi army demonstrate its “complete competency and readiness” for fulfilling duties related to maintaining security and stability without any need for the presence of foreign forces on Iraqi soil, he said.
Anti-US sentiments have been steadily broiling in Iraq since the 2020 assassination of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Units, along with the region’s legendary anti-terror commander, Iranian Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.
The two commanders were targeted along with their companions on January 3, 2020, in a cowardly terrorist drone strike authorized by then-US president Donald Trump near Baghdad International Airport. Two days after the attack, Iraqi lawmakers approved a bill that required the government to end the presence of all foreign military forces led by the US.
