Iraq PM strongly condemns US raids on PMU forces as ‘flagrant violation’ of country’s sovereignty
…from PressTV, Tehran
[ Editor’s Note: Iraq once again makes another toothless protest against US bombing any targets inside Iraq that it wants, including units of the country’s military, the PMU.
Sure these units are involved in combating US supported terrorist forces in eastern Syria where it has committed itself to an aggressive form of sanctions, asset stripping one of the most economically productive regions of Syria in violation of a number of international laws and the UN charter.
Where are the US military inspectors general protecting US troops from being used this way? Or is there some secret OK from the Supreme Court for the US military to engage in proxy terrorism while at the same time presenting to Americans that it is fighting for freedom, or defending US allies. But should that include terrorist proxies?
I don’t remember any news over such a policy being debated and passed in Congress. In fact I have no memory of this policy even being proposed, and there has been no demand from our supposedly free and independent media.
If the ‘oath’ says “to defend the country from all enemies, foreign and domestic, why has no action been taken over using US forces supporting the bad guys on one side of a conflict, and then have other US troops fighting against them to justify a US presence inside a country?
How this “defends” America from all enemies escapes me. Maybe the IG’s office could explain it to me. After all, we have managed, at least verbally to say were are going to finally deal with sexual abuse in the military, so why can’t we face up to US troops and veterans doing exactly what we claim to be against?
If we can deal with Trump and his army of crazies, we should be able to deal with all the geopolitical grifters misusing Americans inside our military… Jim W. Dean ]
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First published … June 28, 2021
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi has strongly condemned as a “flagrant violation” of the Iraqi sovereignty an overnight airstrike by US warplanes against the positions of the anti-terror Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), also known as Hashd al-Sha’abi, in which several resistance fighters were killed.
“We condemn the US air attack that targeted a site last night on the Iraqi-Syrian border, which represents a blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and Iraqi national security,” said a statement from Kadhemi’s office on Monday.
The statement added that the government will “study all legal options” to prevent such action being repeated. The statement came after the Iraqi cabinet, headed by al-Kadhimi, held an emergency security meeting the day after the U.S. air strikes.
In the early hours of the day, US warplanes attacked three positions purportedly belonging to the PMU along the border.
Later, the 14th Brigade of the PMU announced that four of its fighters had been killed when the warplanes hit its headquarters. The brigade is made up of the Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada anti-terror resistance group.
The PMU in general is an Iraqi government-sponsored umbrella organization composed of about 40 factions of volunteer counter-terrorism forces, including mostly Shia Muslims besides Sunni Muslims, Christians, and Kurds. The organization had a significant role in defeating the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in Iraq.
Separately, Iraq’s military spokesman Yehya Rasool denounced the US airstrike and said it was a “breach of sovereignty.”
“We condemn the US air attack that targeted a site on the Iraqi-Syrian border last night, which represents a blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and national security in accordance with all international conventions.”
Rasool further called on everyone to exercise restraint and avoid any escalation of tensions. He said Baghdad would work thoroughly to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
Foreign Ministry: US attack on PMU violation of Iraq’s sovereignty
Additionally on Monday, Iraq’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement, condemning the deadly strike. It was an “assault and a violation of national sovereignty and a clear departure from international norms and conventions,” the statement read.
“We affirm our adherence to Iraq’s sovereignty and unity and to rely on everything that would enhance that, through sustained coordination and communication with various parties and through diplomatic initiatives and endeavors that ensure the non-repetition of such rejected and condemned hostilities.”
Al-Nujaba Movement: US will pay for its folly
In a relevant development on Monday, a senior member of Iraq’s al-Nujaba Movement, which is part of the PMU, said in a Twitter post that Washington would pay for its folly in attacking Iraq’s popular forces.
Ali al-Asadi said the Monday US airstrike was a desperate reaction to the latest manifestation of power by the PMU through a huge military parade, which was held to mark the anniversary of the PMU’s formation.
“This [attack] is another reason, which proves that the occupier does not care about stability of this country…. We tell the occupier: you will pay for your despicable measure and will suffer the consequences of your folly,” Asadi said.
Anti-American sentiments have been running high in Iraq since the US assassinated Iran’s anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, and the deputy head of Iraq’s PMU, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in Baghdad on January 3, 2020.
Just two days later, Iraqi lawmakers unanimously passed a bill mandating the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Iraq.
Iraqi resistance groups have pledged to take up arms against US forces if Washington fails to comply with the parliamentary order.
Jim W. Dean is VT Editor Emeritus. He was an active editor on VT from 2010-2022. He was involved in operations, development, and writing, plus an active schedule of TV and radio interviews. He now writes and posts periodically for VT.
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Iraq was just one more 9/11 war, Jim. Remember what Wesley Clark told us just weeks after the 9/11 attacks, “‘Oh, it’s worse than that,’ he said, holding up a memo on his desk. ‘Here’s the paper from the Office of the Secretary of Defense [then Donald Rumsfeld] outlining the strategy. We’re going to take out seven countries in five years.’ And he named them, starting with Iraq and Syria and ending with Iran.”
All the 9/11 wars were for Israel, or should I say, Greater Israel, from the Nile to the Euphrates. This is why Israel nuked us on 9/11 and got away with it. This is why Israel has no real borders. This is why none of the 9/11 wars will ever be “won”, as they were designed to destroy nations, not liberate them.
Exactly right
To me Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi speaks with forked tongue, Old Indian Saying. He is the PM and his own congress voted to expel all foreign forces from Iraq but he whines and complains but does nothing. My guess he loves all the US dollars he gets to really push it. If he wanted to really do something all he has to do is remove the rules that Iraq can’t try any US forces. That is how they got rid of them last time. Iraq military is strong enough to defend themselves but corruption is to big now that the ones at the top don’t want to loose that money train!
He was one of the good guys. From québécois parents, anti war and very level headed, hence marginalized by the lobby.
Listen to what he says to Biden:
https://youtu.be/2dsXO8vxYQM
None of these Iraqi leaders has complete freedom of navigation. They are all political spider webs, where is soon as anything lands in the web it send reverberations to everyone that their a potential threat nearby, or a meal. They all go into a bifurcated mode, to prepare to pounce on an opportunity early on, or to go onto defense to save themselves from a shitstorm that might be coming their way. Everyone initially fears changes, that something might go wrong and they will be made the goat for it.
Saudis finance them that why Hashd as resistance is like Hezb of 20 years ago, way behind but ascending.
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