US caused death and destruction in Iraq: Analyst

Two US wars in Iraq has caused death and destruction in the country, according to an American political analyst. 

Dan Kovalik, an author and political commentator in Pennsylvania, made the remarks in a phone interview with Press TV on Sunday while commenting on a statement by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi who said that his country no longer needs American combat troops.

“There is no need for any foreign combat forces on Iraqi soil,” Kadhimi told The Associated Press on Sunday. He said Iraqi security forces are now capable of protecting the nation.

“The war against [Daesh] and the readiness of our forces require a special timetable, and this depends on the negotiations that we will conduct in Washington,” Kadhimi said, ahead of a planned trip to Washington for the fourth round of strategic talks between the two countries.

Kadhimi is scheduled to meet US President Joe Biden on Monday to push for a concrete timetable for the withdrawal of US troops.

Currently, there are approximately 2,500 US troops in Iraq.

No need for any foreign combat forces on Iraqi soil: Prime Minister Kadhimi

The premier was speaking to the Associated Press.

“The Iraqi people and government have made it crystal clear for some time now that they no longer need nor want US troops on their soil.  The US’s two invasions of Iraq have been a disaster for that country and for the region, bringing only death and destruction,” Kovalik told Press TV. 

“It is high time that the US listen to the Iraqi people and leave their country.  Indeed, the US should vacate all of the Middle East.  What was called the ‘war on terror’ quickly morphed into a war of terror, with the US supporting terrorist groups on countries like Iraq, Syria and Libya in order to obtain geo-political ends completely unrelated to the mission begun after 911,” he stated. 

“The people of Iraq and the Middle East deserve their sovereignty and independence, and to be left in peace by the US which has proven unwilling and unable to do anything constructive through its foreign interventions,” he concluded. 

In April, the US and Iraq agreed that the American transition to a train-and-advise mission requires the withdrawal of combat troops. No timetable for the withdrawal was set, however.

Iraq declared victory over Daesh in late 2017. The campaign saw popular anti-terror forces joining hands to annihilate the infamous group.

The defeat of Daesh was followed by Washington’s cowardly act of terror in assassinating Iran’s prominent General Qassem Soleimani along with Deputy Commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization United (PMU) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis – who both fought Daesh – at the Baghdad International Airport in January 2020.

The assassination prompted the Iraqi parliament to vote for the expulsion of all foreign forces from the country.
 

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