Iraqi lawmakers condemn President Trump's surprise visit
Iraqi lawmakers say President Donald Trump's visit to Iraq is a "violation of the country's territorial sovereignty."
Iraqi lawmakers on December 26 condemned President Donald Trump’s surprise visit to US troops in Iraq, calling it a “violation of Iraq’s territorial sovereignty.” They added that a meeting between Trump and Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi had also been canceled due to disagreements over how to conduct the meeting.
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| President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump meet with soldiers in Iraq. Photo: New York Times. |
The leader of the Islah bloc in Iraq’s parliament, Sabah al-Saadi, called for an emergency session of parliament to “discuss this blatant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and find ways to stop the aggressive moves of President Trump, who should know his limits.”
The Islah bloc’s rival in parliament, the Bina bloc led by militia leader Hadi al-Amiri, also protested Trump’s visit. In a statement, the Bina bloc stressed: “Mr. Trump’s visit is a clear and blatant violation of diplomatic norms, showing contempt and hostility in his relations with the Iraqi government. The visit raises many questions about the nature of the US military presence on Iraqi soil and their real objectives, which could pose a threat to Iraq’s security.”
Falih Khazali, a former militia leader turned politician allied with Bina, accused the US of wanting to increase its presence in Iraq. "The US leadership was defeated in Iraq and wants to return at any cost, and this is something we will never allow," Khazali said.
Although there has been no widespread violence in Iraq since the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) group was defeated last year, the US maintains about 5,200 troops in the country to train and advise Iraqi forces against the militant group.
In a statement, Prime Minister Mahdi's office said that US authorities had previously informed Iraqi leaders about Trump's visit. According to the statement, the Iraqi Prime Minister and President Trump had a phone call instead of meeting in person due to disagreements on how to conduct the meeting. Reuters news agency quoted Iraqi lawmakers as saying that the two sides disagreed on the location of the meeting. President Trump wanted to hold it at the Ain al-Asad military base, but Mr. Abdul Mahdi rejected that proposal.
Meanwhile, the leader of the Iran-backed militia group Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Mr. Qais al-Khazali, affirmed that the Iraqi parliament will make a decision to expel US forces from the country./
