Saudi Arabia's Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper published a report titled "10 American Actions on the Iraqi-Syrian Border to Confront Iran" on Saturday, January 25 where the daily reported the government of the U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to strengthen its military presence on Iraq's border with Syria. According to the London-based daily, the issue of America's military presence in Iraq was one of the main issues discussed in the separate meetings between Trump and Iraqi President Barham Salih, President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani on the sidelines of the fiftieth World Economic Forum in the eastern city of Davos, Switzerland. One of the ten points discussed in the meetings was the presence of American forces in some cities in the Kurdish region. There are proposals for the establishment of military centers and bases near Sulaimani, south of Erbil, and near Halabja. The suggestions also include an increase in the number of American troops in the region from 500 to two thousand soldiers, in addition to the five thousand soldiers operating in Iraq. Some diplomats stressed that the goal of strengthening the presence in the Kurdish region is to defend military bases in case of increased dangers.

Speaking to Kurdpress over the issue, Dr. Othman stated the United States seeks to maintain its presence in Iraq and Syria and the region on the whole to protect its interests, adding that one of the main points is the control of Syrian oilfields and their income. “What has been proven to all is that the US attempts to secure and ensure its own interests in the region and disregard the interests of the countries and peoples of the region. In particular, Donald Trump, who thinks of nothing but his interests and those of the United States and does not care about anything else. The US performance and behavior has caused deep distrust in the country. We witnessed a one-sided decision by Trump to withdraw US troops from areas controlled by the Kurds in northern Syria without an earlier declaration.”

A former Iraqi Parliament representative, Osman further added Americans have also announced their intention to stay in Kurdistan Region, and even if they withdraw or reduce the number of the troops from other areas of Iraq, they want to send them to Kurdistan which will undoubtedly have consequences for the region.

“I have repeatedly announced that the authorities in the region should not allow such a thing to happen in the Kurdish region. In the event of US military presence in the Kurdish region, considering Iran's sensitivity and opposition to this issue, there would be potential threat to Iraqi Kurds. The interest of the region is not in the presence and increase of US military personnel, and we cannot and should not become a factor in enmity against our neighbors.”

He stressed that Kurdistan should not allow the U.S. to deploy its troops to other areas of Iraq and them make troubles for us.

The Kurds should oppose the deployment of new American troops to the Kurdish region and the establishment of its military bases in the region, Osman added as “we are a part of Iraq and the Iraqi and Kurdish region policies against the U.S., Iran and any other country, especially in wake of the fact that we are not a separate country and are within the Iraqi federal borders, should be the same. The increased US military presence in the Kurdish region, as it has been said, and plans to establish the American military bases in the region means that we will become an Iran's enemy. This will be a problem for us, and we will never be able to do so, and the Kurdish political leadership in Iraq should go against to such a move”.

The Iraqi Council of Representatives approved the withdrawal of foreign forces about a month ago, in response to the assassination of Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, of Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guards commander, the deputy head of Hadad al-Shaabi organization, and their companions in a U.S. air strike near Baghdad International Airport.

The decision, approved by almost all Iraqi Shia MPs in the absence of Kurdish representatives and most Sunni representatives, asked the federal government to cancel its call for help from the international anti-IS coalition and end the presence of any foreign force on Iraq soil, and prevent them from using Iraq’s soil, water and sky.

Answering a question about the boycott of the parliament meeting by Kurdish and Sunni parliament members, Dr. Othman stated that the decision to expel foreign troops was not contemplated very well and was a hasty one without any precise investigation. “The decision was in response to the assassination of Brigadier General Qasim Soleimani and Abu Mehdi al-Mohandes by the U.S. In my opinion, this law should not have been passed in hurry. The decision should have been discussed with Kurds and Sunnis, and the government would have made the necessary decision then. The Iraqi parliament rushed to decide and vote on the matter.”

Reporter’s code: 50101