ID :
177122
Thu, 04/21/2011 - 18:14
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/177122
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Former Minister Stresses Opposition to Longer US Military Presence in Iraq
TEHRAN, April 21 (FNA)- Former Iraqi Oil Minister Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum reiterated Baghdad's strong opposition to a longer US military presence in Iraq.
"All Iraqi officials want a US pullout from their country, and based on the Baghdad Security Pact signed by the two sides, all US forces should withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2011," Bahr al-Uloum told FNA in Baghdad on Wednesday.
"Of course, a number of politicians say that the US forces' withdrawal from Iraq will make the country insecure, but I think that Iraqi forces are able to ensure the country's security," the former Iraqi minister underlined.
"Now, returning Iraq's national sovereignty to this country and US withdrawal from Iraq is a must because Iraqi security and military forces are capable of restoring stability and security throughout the country," the minister noted.
Earlier this month, the Iraqi government officially turned down a call by the US Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, for a longer US military presence in the war-torn country.
Speaking to FNA in Baghdad, Iraqi Government Spokesman Ali al-Dabbaq said that Gates had raised the demand in a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
"Mr. Maliki rejected Gates' demand, saying that Iraq will deal with the issue based on the security pact (signed between Washington and Baghdad)," Dabbaq added.
Media reports said that the US defense secretary pressed senior Iraqi officials to decide whether they want US troops to remain in the country beyond their scheduled departure in the yearend.
In a meeting with US troops earlier in April, Mr. Gates said his three-day visit to Iraq had been "all about" whether American boots will remain on the ground in Iraq beyond the current Dec. 31 withdrawal deadline.
During the course of his trip, Gates met with Iraq's top leaders - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq, President Jalal Talabani and Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani.
Meantime, Sabah Barzandi, a member of the parliament of Iraq's Kurdistan region, denied media reports that Iraqi Kurds have asked for a longer US military presence in the country's autonomous region of Kurdistan.
"The security pact is the reference for dealing with the issue of the US (military) presence," the Kurdish lawmaker told FNA at the time.
"It is not related to Iraq's Kurdish officials and they have no role in the US forces' stay or exit. It is up to the central government to decide on the issue," Barzandi said.
Meantime, Tens of thousands of Iraqi people rallied on Saturday in Baghdad to mark the eighth anniversary of the US occupation, demanding its troops to leave Iraq.
"All Iraqi officials want a US pullout from their country, and based on the Baghdad Security Pact signed by the two sides, all US forces should withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2011," Bahr al-Uloum told FNA in Baghdad on Wednesday.
"Of course, a number of politicians say that the US forces' withdrawal from Iraq will make the country insecure, but I think that Iraqi forces are able to ensure the country's security," the former Iraqi minister underlined.
"Now, returning Iraq's national sovereignty to this country and US withdrawal from Iraq is a must because Iraqi security and military forces are capable of restoring stability and security throughout the country," the minister noted.
Earlier this month, the Iraqi government officially turned down a call by the US Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, for a longer US military presence in the war-torn country.
Speaking to FNA in Baghdad, Iraqi Government Spokesman Ali al-Dabbaq said that Gates had raised the demand in a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
"Mr. Maliki rejected Gates' demand, saying that Iraq will deal with the issue based on the security pact (signed between Washington and Baghdad)," Dabbaq added.
Media reports said that the US defense secretary pressed senior Iraqi officials to decide whether they want US troops to remain in the country beyond their scheduled departure in the yearend.
In a meeting with US troops earlier in April, Mr. Gates said his three-day visit to Iraq had been "all about" whether American boots will remain on the ground in Iraq beyond the current Dec. 31 withdrawal deadline.
During the course of his trip, Gates met with Iraq's top leaders - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq, President Jalal Talabani and Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani.
Meantime, Sabah Barzandi, a member of the parliament of Iraq's Kurdistan region, denied media reports that Iraqi Kurds have asked for a longer US military presence in the country's autonomous region of Kurdistan.
"The security pact is the reference for dealing with the issue of the US (military) presence," the Kurdish lawmaker told FNA at the time.
"It is not related to Iraq's Kurdish officials and they have no role in the US forces' stay or exit. It is up to the central government to decide on the issue," Barzandi said.
Meantime, Tens of thousands of Iraqi people rallied on Saturday in Baghdad to mark the eighth anniversary of the US occupation, demanding its troops to leave Iraq.
