‘U.S. Sets Up 17 Military Bases in Iraq’

Date: 01 June 2019 - 22:23

News ID: ۶۶۶۲۴

BAGHDAD (Dispatches) – The U.S. has established 17 military bases in Iraq and deployed F35 fighter jets in Ein al-Assad airbase in the western parts of al-Anbar province, a former legislator disclosed on Saturday.
The Arabic-language al-Ma'aloumeh news website quoted Mohammad al-Dayeni as saying that Washington has set up 17 military bases in Iraq.
He added that the U.S. has also deployed Spirit stealth fighter jets in Ein al-Assad, adding that the F-35 fighters which had earlier been stationed in the airbase fly on a daily basis to spy on Iran.
Al-Dayeni said that the U.S. forces have specified 63,000 targets in and outside Iraq for attacks, including the positions of Hashd al-Shaabi Iraqi popular forces.
A prominent Iraqi political expert revealed late last month that Washington continues to increase the number of its troops in Iraq, warning of the U.S. plots to make aggression against the neighboring states.
Sabah al-Akili told al-Ma'aloumeh that the number of U.S. forces had increased in Iraq despite the general demand by the Iraqi people for their withdrawal.
He added that the U.S. forces' attacks on Iraqi security forces indicated that they were combat forces and were not deployed for advising or training purposes.
Al-Akili underlined that expansion of Ein al-Assad airbase, extension of its runway and deployment of Patriot missile systems at the base showed that Washington intended to stay in Iraq for the long-run, especially given the reports that the U.S. planned to use Iraq as a platform to attack the neighboring states and was, thus, sending more forces to its bases in Iraq.