BAGDHAD (Dispatches) – The Iraqi Resistance Coordination Commission (IRCC) says the United States is not serious about leaving the Arab country, stressing that the American dream that its troops will be at peace in Iraq is a mere “illusion” that will never come true.
“It becomes clearer to us every day that the occupying forces of the United States are not serious in fulfilling the demand of our dear nation to implement the Iraqi parliament’s bill regarding their withdrawal,” the IRCC said in a statement on Tuesday.
It was making a reference to a bill that was passed into law on January 3, 2020 by the Iraqi parliament requiring the Iraqi government to end the presence of the U.S.-led foreign troops in the country.
The bill came two days after the U.S. assassination of Iran’s top anti-terror commander, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, near the Baghdad International Airport. Soleimani’s companions, including the deputy commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, were also martyred in the operation.
The statement said the Iraqi resistance groups have waited so far so as to give yet another chance to the American troops to leave the country as demanded by the law.
It called on the government to fulfill its duty of expelling the occupying forces from Iraq, but added that it seems the U.S. insists on maintaining its occupying troops in the Arab country.
The U.S., according to the statement, intends to retain its forces in the current bases and also take control of Iraqi airspace in order to spy on areas that are bereft of the Daesh terrorists.
“The U.S. dream that its occupying soldiers will feel at ease and that their bases will be in peace and stability in Iraq is an illusion that will never come true,” the IRCC added.
The reaction by the resistance movement came as Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi confirmed on Wednesday the end of the U.S.-led coalition forces’ combat mission in Iraq after the withdrawal of the forces from the country.
“The combat mission of the international coalition has ended, and all the combat equipment withdrew outside Iraq,” al-Kadhimi said in a tweet posted on the official Twitter page of his media office.
“The role of the coalition has become limited to advise and support, according to the strategic dialogue,” al-Kashimi added.
Meanwhile, the secretary general of the Badr Organization also reiterated the call to fully expel foreign combat forces from Iraq by the end of 2021.
Hadi al-Amiri said all bases in which foreign troops were active must be handed over to the Iraqi army by the end of the current year.
He said the need for any presence of trainers and advisers will be determined by the senior Iraqi military commanders with a reason.
“The entry and exit of advisers, technical forces, and trainers must be done in accordance with the law and with respect for the Iraqi government,” al-Amiri, who is also the leader of the Fatah Alliance (Conquest Alliance) political coalition, maintained.