U.S. Secretary Of State Pompeo Says Iraqi Leaders Privately Want U.S. Troops
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo maintains that various sectarian leaders in Iraq support the presence of U.S. forces in the country, despite public demands for them to leave.
While fielding questions from students at Stanford University in California on January 13, Pompeo said a “broad spectrum†of Sunni, Kurdish, and Shi’ite leaders back U.S. counterterrorism efforts in Iraq.
https://www.state.gov/the-restoration-of-deterrence-the-iranian-example/“They won’t all say so publicly, but privately, they all welcome the fact that America is still there executing its counterterror campaign…and providing an opportunity for the Iraqis to gain sovereignty and independence that most Iraqis want,†Pompeo alleged regarding his phone conversations with around 50 Iraqi community leaders.
https://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/us-secretary-state-pompeo-says-iraqi-leaders-privately-want-us-troops
