Washington: US Military Movements Are not Linked to the Iraqi Interior

US Army soldiers stand outside their armored vehicle south of Mosul (File photo: AP)
US Army soldiers stand outside their armored vehicle south of Mosul (File photo: AP)
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Washington: US Military Movements Are not Linked to the Iraqi Interior

US Army soldiers stand outside their armored vehicle south of Mosul (File photo: AP)
US Army soldiers stand outside their armored vehicle south of Mosul (File photo: AP)

 

United States Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski denied any possible action after news circulating about large-scale movements that US forces have been making in Iraq in recent weeks. 

The US official made the remarks on Wednesday following a meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein at the Iraqi ministry’s headquarters.  

These movements were part of the exchange of existing forces, Romanowski said, denying that these military movements are linked to Iraq’s internal affairs. 

The US ambassador stressed the US government's keenness to continue cooperation and development of common interests with Iraq. 

The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Wednesday that the two officials discussed the overall Iraqi-American relations, and ways to enhance joint cooperation in the economic and development fields, in light of the strategic framework agreement, and in a way that benefits the interests of the two friendly countries. 

The meeting also discussed the Al-Hol camp in Syria and the problems that face the transfer of some families from the camp to Iraq. 

Earlier, Khalid Al-Yaqoubi, the security affairs advisor to the premier, refuted claims about a US troop buildup in Iraq.  

However, in statements to the official Iraqi News Agency, he affirmed that “there is a rotation of American units present in Syria.” 

Iraq has witnessed nearly daily reports, images, and videos showing significant American military activity in the country. 

Kataib Hezbollah issued a statement on Thursday saying that the movement of the American occupation military convoys in some Iraqi cities is evidence of the enemy’s intransigence to keep its forces in the country.  

It added that if the resistance decided to fight then it would smack their malicious plots for the region. 

Dr. Ihsan Al-Shammari, head of the Iraqi Political Thinking Center in Baghdad, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the talk about these movements is linked to several factors. 

Among these factors is the link between these rumors and the recent escalation between armed factions and the American forces, in addition to the US forces' movements and repositioning on the Iraqi-Syrian geographical level in order to tighten the grip on the armed militias.  

The talk about military build-up is linked to the Iraqi’s frustration with the political parties and forces and the current authority’s equation as well as the corruption and mismanagement resulting from it. 

These factors contributed to suggesting that an American military intervention in Iraq is likely. 

“I personally don’t rule out that the forces respond in case their interests were jeopardized in Iraq or were targeted by some factions,” added Al-Shammari. 



Erdogan Says Türkiye Ready to Help with Ceasefire in Gaza

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 19, 2024. (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 19, 2024. (Reuters)
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Erdogan Says Türkiye Ready to Help with Ceasefire in Gaza

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 19, 2024. (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 19, 2024. (Reuters)

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Türkiye was ready to help in any way possible to establish a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, and expressed satisfaction with the ceasefire agreement that has come into effect in Lebanon.

Türkiye, which has fiercely criticized Israel's offensives in Gaza and Lebanon, has previously said it discussed a potential truce in Gaza with Palestinian armed group Hamas and gave the group recommendations on how to proceed with the negotiations.

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden said the United States would again push for an elusive ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza "with Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others".

"We are stating that, as Türkiye, we are ready to provide any contribution for the massacre in Gaza to end and for a lasting ceasefire to be achieved," Erdogan told members of his ruling AK Party in parliament.

Asked about Biden's remarks, a Turkish official told Reuters a ceasefire in Lebanon without a truce in Gaza was not enough to achieve regional stability, adding Ankara was ready to help reach a deal in Gaza, just as it had supported previous efforts.

"We are again ready to help achieve a permanent ceasefire and a lasting solution in Gaza," the official said.

While Ankara has repeatedly traded insults with Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza war, it has not officially severed ties with it. Unlike Israel and its Western partners, Türkiye does not consider Hamas a terrorist organization and regularly hosts some of its senior members.