Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 6 February 2020
Iraqi officials say Baghdad wants to minimize reliance on U.S.

Associated Press "We have knowledge
BAGHDAD (AP) — The Iraqi that the American sup-
government has told its mil- port to the Iraqi forces has
itary not to seek assistance stopped," said the com-
from the U.S.-led coalition mander of an Iranian-
in operations against the backed militia group.
Islamic State group, two No coalition airstrikes have
senior Iraqi military officials been carried out against
said, amid a crisis of mistrust IS since the killing of Solei-
between Washington and mani, said coalition spokes-
Baghdad after an Ameri- man Myles Caggins. In con-
can strike killed a top Ira- trast, 45 strikes were con-
nian general and an Iraqi ducted in Iraq in October
militia commander. and November.
The step shows that while "The Iraqis have not request-
the Iraqí leadership's de- ed assistance with airstrikes
mands for an immediate in recent weeks, while our
removal of American forc- operations are paused.
es have cooled, they are All coalition airstrikes have
serious about rethinking the been coordinated with
strategic relationship, and the Iraqi Security Forces for
this is directly affecting mili- years," he said.
tary cooperation. Iraqi military personnel who
Officially, Iraqis have been have benefited from co-
unclear on the status of In this Feb. 13, 2018 file photo, an Iraqi army soldier stands guard near a U.S.-made Iraqi Air Force alition training are making
joint operations. The Iraqi F-16 fighter jet at the Balad Air Base, Iraq. appeals in private, knowing
military announced Jan. Associated Press firsthand Iraq's reliance on
30 that they had resumed U.S. military technologies
after a three-week halt, eration with the anti-IS co- The three officials spoke agreements, saying the and aircraft.
but that statement was alition, based on govern- on condition of anonymity matter was up to the next "We have no alternative
later removed and a mili- ment orders, two Iraqi mili- because they were not au- prime minister to decide. now," said the senior CTS
tary spokesperson rescind- tary officials and one militia thorized to talk to reporters. Prime Minister-designate official. "The battle against
ed the claim in remarks to official said this week. The coalition paused its Mohammed Allawi has not IS is technological, and
state television. It was not "After the killing of Solei- mission to fight IS in Iraq on made his policy known to- we don't own any of these
followed up with a clarifi- mani, the Iraqi government Jan. 5 after the strike. That ward the troop presence. technologies, only the
cation. decided to inform us for- same day, Shiite lawmak- About 5,200 U.S. soldiers are Americans do."
The halt had been called mally not to cooperate and ers, irate over what they stationed in Iraqi bases to U.S. Marine Gen. Frank
amid soaring tensions fol- not to seek assistance from called a flagrant violation support local troops fight- McKenzie, the top Ameri-
lowing the Jan. 3 U.S. drone the U.S.-led international of sovereignty, passed a ing IS militants. They are can commander for the
strike ordered by President coalition in any operation," nonbinding resolution re- part of a larger internation- Middle East, met Tuesday
Donald Trump that killed a senior military intelligence questing the government al coalition invited by the with Iraqi leaders and ac-
Iranian Gen. Qassem Solei- official told The Associated cancel legal agreements Iraqi government in 2014. knowledged that joint
mani and senior Iraqi militia Press. that provide the basis for One of the officials, a com- military operations and
leader Abu Mahdi al-Mu- "Until now, we have not the U.S. troop presence in mander in Iraq's elite U.S.- training have been scaled
handis in Baghdad. asked the Americans to Iraq. trained Counter-Terrorism back, although he said U.S.
On at least two occasions provide assistance, we rely Outgoing Prime Minister Services in western Anbar special operations forces
in January, U.S. officials said on our capabilities to pur- Adel Abdul-Mahdi has province, said some train- are doing some missions
they expected the pause sue IS elements. The pres- stated publicly that U.S. ing continues, but "as for with Iraqi commandos.
would be lifted imminently. ence of the Americans in troops must go, but he has military operations and car- "We're still in a period of tur-
But in practice, Iraqis are the joint operations is only stepped back from unilat- rying out operations, there bulence. We've got a ways
seeking to minimize coop- formal," the official said. erally canceling existing is no support." to go," he said.q
Lebanon's only English-language daily stops print edition

By BASSEM MROUE Middle East and beyond." crippling economic and statement that a drop to sible.
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon's The Daily Star is the latest financial crisis, the worst virtually no advertising rev- The paper has been strug-
only English-language among several Lebanese since the end of Lebanon's enues in the last quarter of gling for a while and some
newspaper announced newspapers that stopped 1975-90 civil war. The situ- 2019 and January this year employees went on strike in
on Tuesday that it was printing in recent years in ation has deteriorated fur- "compounded the already December protesting that
temporarily suspending its a struggle to compete with ther since Oct. 17, when dire financial situation that they have not been paid
print edition because of fi- digital media, a struggle nationwide protests erupt- has ravaged Lebanese for months.
nancial challenges as the that worsened with Leba- ed against the political newspapers with the rise of Some local TV stations have
country passes through its non's economic crisis in the elite, blamed for decades digital media." been struggling as well, giv-
worst economic crisis in de- past year. of corruption and misman- "The Daily Star apologizes ing employees half their
cades. Days earlier, Radio One, a agement. to readers of its print edi- salary.
The Daily Star said its web- popular music radio sta- Some organizations have tion and remains hope- Last year, the daily Al-Mus-
site and social media plat- tion, went off the air after let go of employees and ful that it can ride out this taqbal, which was owned
forms would continue work 37 years as a result of the cut salaries, while others storm," it said, adding that by former Prime Minister
as usual "to offer first-rate crisis. have closed down com- they hope to relaunch the Saad Hariri's family, ceased
news coverage and con- The tiny Mediterranean pletely. paper version and return to its print edition and turned
tent from Lebanon, the country is in the midst of a The Daily Star said in a newsstands as soon as pos- into a digital newspaper.q