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A10 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 11 January 2020
U.S. dismisses Iraq request to work on a troop withdrawal plan

By SAMYA KULLAB and QA- of requesting an immedi- rate.
SSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA ate withdrawal, allowing Iraq is highly dependent on
Associated Press time to draw up a strategy Iran sanctions waivers from
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's and timeline for departure. Washington to continue im-
caretaker prime minister In its initial readout of the porting Iranian gas to meet
asked Washington to work call, the State Department electricity demands, and
out a road map for an made no mention of Ab- the U.S. has consistently
American troop withdraw- dul-Mahdi's request on the used this as leverage. The
al, but the U.S. State De- troops. It said Pompeo, who current waiver expires in
partment on Friday bluntly initiated the call, reiterated February, and without a
rejected the request, say- the U.S. condemnation of new one, Iraq could face
ing the two sides should the Iranian missile strikes severe financial penalties.
instead talk about how to and underscored that The demand for a troop
"recommit" to their partner- President Donald Trump withdrawal is not universal
ship. "has said the United States among Iraqis. Sunni and
Thousands of anti-govern- will do whatever it takes to Kurdish lawmakers, who
ment protesters turned out protect the American and oppose the Parliament
in the capital and southern Iraqi people and defend resolution, see the U.S. pres-
Iraq, many calling on both our collective interests." ence as a bulwark against
Iran and America to leave There are some 5,200 U.S. domination by the major-
Iraq, reflecting their anger troops in Iraq assisting and ity Shiites and Iran. Kurdish
and frustration over the providing training to Iraqi security forces have bene-
two rivals — both allies of security counterparts to fited from U.S. training and
Baghdad — trading blows fight IS. An American pull- aid.
on Iraqi soil. out could deeply set back Protesters criticized the on-
The request from Prime In this May 15, 2019 file photo, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul- efforts to crush remnants of going crisis involving Iraq,
Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi Mahdi speaks to the media during a joint news conference with the group amid concerns the U.S. and Iran in demon-
pointed to his determina- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Ankara, Turkey. of its resurgence during the strations across the capital
tion to push ahead with Associated Press political turmoil. and in the southern prov-
demands for U.S. troops to Both the U.S. and Iran have inces.
leave Iraq, stoked by the Abdul-Mahdi has said he fewer resources dedicated fought to defeat IS, and Thousands massed in Bagh-
American drone strike on rejects all violations of Iraqi to that mission, we will do neither wants to see it stage dad's Tahrir square, the epi-
Jan. 3 that killed top Iranian sovereignty, including both so," Pompeo said. a comeback. center of the protest move-
Gen. Qassem Soleimani. the Iranian and U.S. strikes. He said a NATO team was IS gloated in its first com- ment, and many chanted
In a phone call Thursday The State Department flatly at the State Department ments on Soleimani's "Damn Iran and America!"
night, he told U.S. Secretary dismissed Abdul-Mahdi's re- working on a plan "to get slaying, saying his death Large demonstrations also
of State Mike Pompeo that quest, saying U.S. troops are burden- sharing right in the "pleased the hearts of be- were held in Basra, Dhi Qar,
recent U.S. actions were crucial for the fight against region, as well, so that we lievers," in an editorial in Najaf and Diwanieh prov-
unacceptable breaches the Islamic State group and can continue the important the group's al-Nabaa on- inces as the movement
of Iraqi sovereignty and a it would not discuss remov- missions to protect and de- line newspaper. It carried seeks to regain momentum
violation of their security ing them. fend, and keep the Ameri- a photo of Soleimani and after regional tensions over-
agreements, his office said. Pompeo indicated Friday can people safe" while re- al-Muhandis, saying that shadowed the uprising.
He asked Pompeo to "send the troops would remain, ducing costs and burdens "God brought their end at Amid the protests in Bas-
delegates to Iraq to pre- adding that the U.S. would borne by the U.S. the hands of their allies." ra, Iraqi journalist Ahmed
pare a mechanism" to car- continue its mission to help Earlier in the day, Pompeo's U.S. Assistant Secretary of Abdul Samad was found
ry out the Iraqi Parliament's train Iraqi security forces spokeswoman Morgan Or- State David Schenker said dead in his car outside a
resolution on withdrawing and counter the Islamic tagus said any delegation future talks between Bagh- police station from a gun-
foreign troops, according State group. sent to Iraq would be dedi- dad and Washington were shot wound to the head,
to the statement. "We are happy to continue cated to "discussing how to expected to focus on the according to a security
"The prime minister said the conversation with the best recommit to our strate- nature of their strategic re- official who requested an-
American forces had en- Iraqis about what the right gic partnership - not to dis- lationship, onymity in line with regu-
tered Iraq and drones are structure is," Pompeo said cuss troop withdrawal, but "We provide assets that no lations. A photographer
flying in its airspace with- at the White House during our right, appropriate force other coalition ally can pro- covering the protests was
out permission from Iraqi an unrelated appearance. posture in the Middle East." vide. ... If the United States injured and is in critical con-
authorities, and this was "Our mission set there is Iraqi lawmakers passed wasn't in Iraq, it's hard to dition.
a violation of the bilateral very clear. We've been a resolution Sunday to imagine the coalition be- Meanwhile, Grand Ayatol-
agreements," the state- there to perform a training oust U.S. troops, following ing in Iraq," he told report- lah Ali al-Sistani urged rival
ment added. mission to help the Iraqi se- the U.S. drone strike that ers in Dubai at the end of a political factions to unite
Abdul-Mahdi signaled he curity forces be successful killed Soleimani and senior visit to the region in which and put private interests
was standing by the push and to continue the cam- Iraqi militia commander he met with Iraqi officials in aside, saying they risked
for U.S. forces to leave de- paign against ISIS, to con- Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis the northern Kurdish region. creating more unrest. The
spite signs of de-escalation tinue the counter-Daesh at Baghdad's airport. The Schenker added that the factions have yet to agree
by Tehran and Washington campaign," he said, using nonbinding vote put the re- U.S. and its partners have on a nominee to replace
after Iran retaliated for So- alternate acronyms for the sponsibility on the govern- provided $5.4 billion to the the outgoing Abdul-Mahdi,
leimani's death by firing mis- militant group. ment to formally request a Iraqi military in the last four who resigned in December
siles that hit two Iraqi bases "We're going to continue withdrawal. Abdul-Mahdi years. under pressure from the
where American troops are that mission but, as times urged lawmakers at the Ortagus said the U.S. and protesters.
based but caused no casu- change and we get to a time to take "urgent mea- Iraqi governments need to "Everyone is required to
alties. place where we can deliv- sures" to ensure the remov- talk about security as well think carefully about what
Iraqis feel furious and help- er upon what I believe and al of the troops. as "our financial, economic this situation will lead to
less at being caught in what the president believes In speaking to Pompeo, and diplomatic partner- if there is no end to it," he
the middle of the fighting. is our right structure with Abdul-Mahdi stopped short ship." She did not elabo- added.q