Iraqi president says Trump did not ask permission to 'watch Iran'
Ahmed Aboulenein
Iraq's President Barham Salih attends a forum in Baghdad, Iraq February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Wissm al-Okili
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi President Barham Salih said on Monday that President Donald Trump did not ask Iraq’s permission for U.S. troops stationed there to “watch Iran.â€
Speaking at a forum in Baghdad, Salih was responding to a question about Trump’s comments to CBS about how he would ask troops stationed in Iraq to “watch†Iran.
U.S. troops in Iraq are there as part of an agreement between the two countries with a specific mission of combating terrorism, Salih said, and that they should stick to that.
Read more at: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-iraq-idUSKCN1PT0E4
Another story:
Trump comments spark Iraqi demands for US exit
[AFP]
AFP•February 4, 2019
Baghdad (AFP) - Iraqi politicians on Monday hit back at Donald Trump after the US president said he plans to keep American forces in the country to spy on Iran.
In an interview with CBS television, Trump reaffirmed his determination to pull the United States out of "endless wars" in Syria and Afghanistan but said American troops would stay on in Iraq, partly "to be looking a little bit at Iran".
"We spent a fortune on building this incredible base. We might as well keep it," he said, referring to Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq that he visited in December.
Read more at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-comments-spark-iraqi-demands-us-exit-095208533.html
I doubt if they would want us to leave in the long run, maybe we are good for stabilization. Maybe not the best thing to say. Maybe some would look for any excuse to find fault with us. Watch this story.
