Iraq’s former prime minister has once again called for the total withdrawal of American forces from the country.
Adel Abdul-Mahdi was speaking in an interview with Iran's al-Alam news network. He said the Iraqi government must take a clear position on this issue and set a date for the U-S to take its troops out of Iraq. Abdul-Mahdi said American forces were deployed to Iraq based on the Iraqi government’s decision and their withdrawal does not need any decision by the U-N Security Council or the Iraqi parliament. He added that Americans entered Iraq under the pretext of protecting Iraqi people, but are now killing them. His remarks came after a recent U-S military drone attack killed a senior commander of Kata'ib Hezbollah resistance group. Back in January, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani said Baghdad wants U-S-led military forces to immediately leave due to their destabilizing effects. The Pentagon, however, has announced that it has no plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq.