Nujaba: Al-Kadhimi Govt. in No Position to Extend US Forces’ Presence in Iraq
This is according to spokesman of al-Nujaba resistance movement Nasr al-Shammari, making the remark in a post on his Twitter account.
Noting that al-Kadhimi is Iraq’s interim prime minister, al-Shammari said it was not within his government’s authority to decide whether to extend the United States’ military presence in the Arab country, according to the Communication and Media Affairs Centter of al-Nujaba in Iran.
“His (al-Kadhimi’s) administration is merely in charge of advancing current affairs, such as holding early elections, and not only the interim government, but also the permanent government has no authority to invite foreign forces or extend their presence, which is contrary to the Constitution and parliamentary decrees,” he added.
Citing paragraph four, article 61 of the constitution, al-Shammari called the Council of Representatives (the Iraqi parliament) the only body that has the legitimacy to decide on such issues.
Anti-US sentiment has been running high in Iraq following Washington’s January 3 assassination of top Iranian anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and senior Hashd al-Sha’abi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in addition to several other comrades, outside the Baghdad airport.
Just two days later, Iraqi lawmakers unanimously passed a bill mandating the expulsion of all foreign troops from the country.
