Russia offers military cooperation with Iraq amid calls to expel the Americans

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[size=52]Russia offers military cooperation with Iraq amid calls to expel the Americans[/size]

[size=45]Translation: Hamed Ahmed
[size=45]The Ministry of Defense said in a statement Thursday that Iraq and Russia discussed the possibilities of deepening military cooperation between them, amid tense relations between Baghdad and Washington.[/size]
[size=45]The ministry’s statement came after a meeting in Baghdad between the chief of staff of the Iraqi army, Lieutenant General Othman Al-Ghanmi, and the Russian ambassador to Iraq, Maxim Maksimov, with the newly arrived military attache.[/size]
[size=45]This meeting comes during a critical period in the future of military relations between the United States and Iraq, following the January 3 American drone attack that killed the top military commander in Iran, General Qassem Soleimani, as well as the deputy commander of the PMF, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was with him in the convoy. Near Baghdad International Airport. The attack stimulated influential Shiite parties by calling for a review of the current strategic agreement concluded between Iraq and the US-led international coalition.[/size]
[size=45]According to the ministry’s statement, Al-Ghanmi praised Moscow’s role in the battle against ISIS, saying that they “equipped our armed forces with advanced and effective equipment and weapons that had a great role in resolving many of the battles.”[/size]
[size=45]The statement also said that the two sides discussed expectations of joint cooperation and coordination. The two parties also stressed the importance of information exchange and coordination to prevent the threat from ISIS from reappearing. The statement said that Ambassador Maksimov invited Al-Ghanmi to visit Russia and meet with his counterpart "within the framework of enhancing cooperation between the two sides."[/size]
[size=45]A high-ranking Iraqi military intelligence official told the Associated Press that Russia, among other countries, has offered to offer military support in the wake of strained relations between the United States and Iraq after Soleimani's death.[/size]
[size=45]"Iraq still needs aerial reconnaissance aircraft," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, because of the information sensitivity. There are countries that have signaled Iraq with our support or equipping us with reconnaissance aircraft such as Russia and Iran. ”[/size]
[size=45]In response to the drone attack that killed Soleimani, Parliament voted for a non-binding resolution calling for the removal of American forces from the country, and then the caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi made a public call to withdraw the forces.[/size]
[size=45]Since that time, Iraqi leaders have backed away from the threat. But beyond the closed doors, the shipment damaged the partnership between the two countries, according to officials.[/size]
[size=45]According to two high-ranking Iraqi military officials who refused to reveal their names, they told the Associated Press that the Iraqi government had told the Iraqi army not to seek American help in its joint combat operations against ISIS militants, in an effort to limit cooperation. It is an indication of the seriousness of the authorities in their endeavor to review the strategic relationship between them.[/size]
[size=45]On the other hand, General Frank McKenzie, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Middle East, recently acknowledged during his statements that relations with Iraq "are going through a period of turmoil."[/size]
[size=45]A few days ago, General McKenzie visited Iraq, but the visit came amid anti-American sentiments.[/size]
[size=45]At the time, the visit raised questions about whether the presence of a high-ranking US military commander would spur a settlement, or merely raise tensions and accelerate the pace of ongoing negotiations to install Patriot missile batteries in Iraq to better protect the coalition forces.[/size]
[size=45]He met with outgoing Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, President of the Republic Barham Salih and Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi, and he did not meet with the Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Allawi.[/size]
[size=45]General McKinsey, after his return, told the Associated Press that it was difficult to predict what the talks would lead to, especially as the Iraqi government was in a transitional situation.[/size]
[size=45]He said that the international coalition in Iraq believes that the future of the military presence in the country should be based on the extent of the threat posed by ISIS, in consultation with the Iraqi government.[/size]
[size=45]He admitted that now, due to the current tensions in relations, the joint military operations and training missions between the United States and Iraq have declined slightly. He said there is some training going on and that the US Special Operations Forces are carrying out missions with their Iraqi Special Forces counterparts. He stressed, "We are still fighting within a period of turmoil. And we have to go ahead. ”[/size]
[size=45]And senior American leaders have rejected Iraqi demands to leave the American forces, apparently adopting a position of deliberation to see what will happen in the hope that these problems will cross peacefully.[/size]
[size=45]Iran responded to the raid that killed Soleimani with a January 8 attack by launching ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases that included American forces, but this action has become more justified for the United States to request that Patriot missile systems be brought into the country. So far, the Iraqis have not agreed to the request. General McKinsey said he discussed the issue during his meetings, but declined to give any details.[/size]
[size=45]About: Associated Press[/size]


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