Officials Say US Is Violating Iraqi Sovereignty Demand Withdrawal Of US Troops

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Iraqi lawmakers have rallied in a rare show of unity against US troops in their country 

Angered at the unannounced visit by President Donald Trump to troops at an American air base, politicians from both blocs of Iraq’s divided parliament have demanded the withdrawal of US forces.

Trump spent three hours with troops at the U.S. air base but did not meet with any Iraqi officials during his visit which was was criticized by politicians as aggressive and a violation of diplomatic norms.

Anti War reports: MPs from both ruling and opposition blocs in parliament are united in calls for an extraordinary session to debate the matter, saying that the question of US violations of Iraqi sovereignty must be answered.

While a lot of the immediate backlash seems to be related to Trump cancelling his visit with the Iraqi PM over a disagreement on location, the ruling bloc and its leader Moqtada al-Sadr have long spoken out about the need for Iraq to get out from under the domination of foreign powers and seek a more independent future.

Qais Khazali, the head of the power Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia, expressed confidence that parliament would vote to expel US forces from Iraq. Failing that, he warned, the militias would force them out “by other means.”

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