Al-Sudani: Iraq seeks a quick exit of American forces

Hoda Jassim (Baghdad)

Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani said that Iraq wants a quick and orderly exit of the US-led military forces from its territory through negotiation, but he did not set a final date.
Al-Sudani added yesterday that there is “a necessity to rearrange this relationship in a way that does not serve as a goal, a file, or a justification for any internal or external party to tamper with the stability of Iraq and the region.” After revealing the first details of his thoughts on the future of the coalition since his announcement on January 5 that Iraq would begin the process of ending its duties, Al-Sudani said that the exit must be negotiated within the framework of a “process of understanding and dialogue.”
For its part, the US Department of Defense, the Pentagon, said last Monday that it does not plan to withdraw the forces present in Iraq.
Meanwhile, an informed security source reported yesterday that two drones were shot down as they attempted to target the Al-Harir base, which houses international coalition forces in Erbil. The source said, “The air defenses at the Al-Harir base were able to repel and shoot down two drones that attempted to target the base in Erbil.” A security source in Erbil Governorate had reported earlier, “last Friday,” a new targeting of the Harir base within Erbil International Airport. The source said, “A bomb-laden drone targeted the Harir base, which houses the international coalition forces to fight the terrorist organization ISIS, within Erbil International Airport.” He added, “Columns of smoke rose from the site of the attack, without knowing whether there were human or material losses yet.”
For his part, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder confirmed that American facilities in Iraq and Syria have been attacked 127 times since the escalation of the situation in the region began.
Washington deploys 2,500 military personnel in Iraq within the framework of the so-called international coalition to combat ISIS, the formation of which was announced in 2014.