US forces forming armed Sunni faction in Iraq to counter Iran: MP
The Iraqi parliament’s security and defense committee claimed
on Saturday that US forces are supporting a large number of tribal sheikhs and
prominent leaders in Iraq’s western provinces to establish a military base for
the purpose of gaining public support and prolonging the stay of US troops in
the country.
A member of the committee, who preferred not to be named,
said in a press statement that the US forces are supporting the leaders of
tribes to establish an armed faction and a military base in the western
provinces, pointing out that "Washington seeks through these attempts to
create public support in the western provinces for their combat troops to
remain."
According to observers, the US forces resorted to this step
after getting the green light from President Donald Trump to form a front
inside Iraq with control of the Sunni provinces to prevent the spread of Iran’s
armed militias in preparation for the move against Tehran at a later stage.