Air raids over eastern Syria near Iraqi border kill 6 Iran-backed militants
Associated PressDec 30, 2023
Iraq Seeks to Remove US-Led Forces
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The Facts
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said in remarks shared by his office on Friday that his government plans to end the presence of the American-led international coalition in the country and is currently working to set a date for the start of a bilateral committee to discuss the matter.
This came as he strongly condemned the coalition for a deadly drone strike in Baghdad on the Iran-backed Harakat al-Nujaba — a militia unit within the Popular Mobilization Forces — that killed two, including its leader Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, known as Abu Taqwa, and wounded six on Thursday.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Prime Minister al-Sudani has properly sought to free Iraqi territory of any foreign military presence since his first day in office, even agreeing to work together with the US to find viable options to achieve that goal. In the wake of the unauthorized drone strike that martyrized Abu Taqwa, it has become more clear than ever that the once helpful coalition forces have turned into a threat to Iraq's sovereignty.
Pro-establishment narrative
It would be unwise for the Iraqi government to push for the removal of the international coalition forces from the country exactly when the now shadowy and weakened IS has indicated through two deadly attacks in Iran that it is seeking to restore its power and relevance in the Middle East. Iraq shouldn't turn away support from the very coalition that subdued the terror group some years ago.
