Iraqi Government Sharply Criticizes US Airstrikes as Violation of SovereigntyIr
Jose Nino
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On November 22, 2023, the Iraqi government criticized United States airstrikes launched in the country against Shia militia groups, describing them as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty.
“We vehemently condemn the attack on Jurf al-Nasr, executed without the knowledge of Iraqi government agencies,” declared Iraqi government spokesman Basem al-Awadi.
“This action is a blatant violation of sovereignty and an attempt to destabilize the security situation,” al-Awadi added.
The statement came on the heels of the US military announcing its launch of airstrikes early on November 22 against installations south of Baghdad used by Kataib Hezbollah, a Shia militant group that’s connected with Iran. Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a consortium of Shia militia groups that formed in 2014 to combat ISIS, claimed eight of its fighters were killed in the US strikes.
Roughly 24 hours before, a US AC-130 Gunship carried out airstrikes against individuals the US claims were responsible for launching a ballistic missile attack on the Ain al-Asad airbase, where US troops are stationed. US officials claimed that the AC-130 killed three militants.
Per reports from the Pentagon, US troops have been subjected to attacks on 66 occasions in Iraq and Syria since October 17.
The US currently has 2,500 troops on Iraqi soil, with many Iraqi political actors. The Iraqi government asserted that the airstrikes violated the agreement the US has with Iraqi authorities to maintain troops in the country.
“The recent incident represents a clear violation of the coalition’s mission to combat [ISIS] on Iraqi soil,” the statement declared. The Iraqi government was also critical of the frequent attacks on US troops and declared it was the only authorized entity that could punish the perpetrators.
“The Iraqi government is solely dedicated to enforcing the law and holding violators accountable, a prerogative exclusively within its purview. No party or foreign agency has the right to assume this role, as it contradicts Iraqi constitutional sovereignty and international law,” the statement added.
The US needs to completely pull its troops out of the Middle East. It beggars belief why the US maintains a military presence in Iraq. Keeping troops there is asking for a Lebanon 2.0 scenario where American troops get killed for overstaying their welcome in a hostile foreign nation.
Cooler heads must prevail here if we want to protect our young men from a dastardly attack.
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