No US troops are being withdrawn from Iraq, says Pentagon

Published Jan 7, 2020

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Washington - There has been "no change" in US policy towards

the troop presence in Iraq, a Pentagon spokeswoman said Monday, amid

swirling reports of a troop pullout following the US killing of a top

Iranian general.

"There has been no change in US policy with regard to our force

presence in Iraq," Pentagon spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said in a tweet.

"We continue to consult with the Iraqi government regarding the

defeat-ISIS mission and efforts to support the Iraqi Security

Forces," she added.

The statement came shortly after multiple US media outlets reported

that a US general in Iraq sent a letter to Iraqi military officials

stating that US troops will be relocating troops "to prepare for

onward movement."

"We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure," the

letter reportedly said.

US General Mark Milley told reporters at the Pentagon that the letter

was a draft and "a mistake," according to multiple US media reports

Milley said the letter was "poorly worded, implies withdrawal. That

is not what's happening." 

The future of over 5,000 US troops in Iraq came a day after Iraq's

parliament voted in a non-binding resolution for ousting US soldiers

following the killing of the Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.

"We do not accept that Iraq becomes a scene to settle scores," said

Iraq's caretaker prime minister Adel Abdel-Mahdi on Monday during a

meeting with China's ambassador in Baghdad.

Iraq's parliament passed a resolution calling for an end to the

presence of foreign troops linked to a United States-led alliance

fighting Islamic State. There are currently around 5,000 US soldiers

stationed in Iraq.

Trump's decision to kill move Soleimani, the commander of Iran's

elite Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes, the deputy head of

Iraq's Muslim Shiite militia Hashd al-Shaabi, along with several

other Iran-allied militiamen has sent shock waves throughout the

Middle East.

Abdel-Mahdi said on Sunday steps were being worked out for the

departure of foreign troops from the country.

"Iraqi officials in different departments are preparing a memorandum

on the legal and procedural steps to implement the parliament's

decision on the foreign troops' withdrawal," Abdel-Mahdi's office

said.

US President Donald Trump has by threatened Iraq with sanctions if

there is "any hostility" regarding the demand for US troops to leave.

dpa

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