Passing law to end US troops’ stay in Iraq ‘difficult:’ senior Iraqi lawmaker
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The head of the Iraqi parliamentary faction led by former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday expressed doubt at the possibility of parliament voting in favor of ending the presence of US troops in the country, citing Iraq’s fragile security situation.
Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi recently told Kurdistan 24 that the legislative body had received a proposal that aims to determine the tasks of the US troops stationed in Iraq and the timetable for their stay.
The US military presence, as explained by Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hakim, in a recent interview with Kurdistan 24, does not involve combat troops, but “only military advisors and trainers, who are helping our army.”
“So, I wonder why some people in Iraq want to make this subject a big issue,” he said.
“We believe that the presence of US troops is within the framework of the International Coalition for the fight against Da’esh [Islamic State],” Adnan al-Zarfi, the head of parliament’s Victory alliance, part of Sadr’s Reform bloc, said in an interview with Kurdistan 24.