Baghdad – Iraq’s president on Monday criticized Donald Trump for saying he wants to keep U.S. troops in Iraq “to watch Iran,” saying the U.S. leader did not ask Iraq’s permission to do so.
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“We find these comments strange,” said Barham Salih, speaking at a forum in Baghdad. Salih said U.S. troops were in Iraq as part of an agreement between the two countries and with a specific mission of assisting in the fight against the Islamic State group and combatting “terrorism.” He said the Iraqi constitution forbids the use of Iraq as a base to threaten the interests or security of neighboring countries.
“Don’t overburden Iraq with your own issues,” he added.
Salih was responding to Trump’s comments in an interview with CBS News’ “Face the Nation” during which Trump said the U.S. has an “incredible base” in Iraq that he intends to keep “because I want to be able to watch Iran.”
“We spent a fortune on building this incredible base,” Trump said. “We might as well keep it. And one of the reasons I want to keep it is because I want to be looking a little bit at Iran because Iran is a real problem.”
He said the U.S. base in Iraq is “perfectly situated for looking at all over different parts of the troubled Middle East.”
Trump is so careless and sloppy when he speaks. Whatever pops into his head comes out his mouth. Of course we were going to watch Iran from Iraq but you don’t say it because Iraq is majority Shiite and they don’t want problems with Iran. which is Shiite and hostile to Iraq’s Sunni population.
Another goof up by trumpf the Yutz. We have thousands of troops in crappy Iraq and the idiot insults the country. How many years will it take to undo the damage Deranged Donald does at home and abroad? He can’t help himself he’s so backwards. Every day a new crisis. FEH
Those ungrateful (expletive deleted) Iraqis. Saddam Hussein was deposed, because of the USA; that man, and his two sons, terrorized the Iraqi populace for decades. Instead of showing some gratitude, they had the gall, to request US troops, after they originally asked them to leave, when Bush was still President. At this point, I could care less if we pulled our remaining troops out of Iraq. The Iraqis should deal with Isis and the other terror groups, within its borders. Their government and society could write an entire encyclopedia, about corruption.