Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Poorest Americans Dealt Biggest Blow Under Senate Republican Tax Package

5 hours ago

Trump Vowed to Dismantle MS-13. His Deal With Bukele Threatens That Effort.

9 hours ago

Ukraine Voices Concern as US Halts Some Missile Shipments

9 hours ago

Poll: Most Americans Say National Divide, Political Violence Threaten Democracy

10 hours ago

Paramount Settles With Trump Over ‘60 Minutes’ Interview for $16 Million

10 hours ago

Republicans Tee up House Vote on Trump Bill, Outcome Uncertain

10 hours ago

What’s Next for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs After His Sex Trafficking Trial?

10 hours ago

Dalai Lama Says He Will Be Reincarnated, Trust Will Identify Successor

10 hours ago
AP Interview: Iraqi Militia Leader Wants US Troops to Leave
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
January 28, 2019

Share

BAGHDAD — The leader of one of the most powerful Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq said Monday that he expects a vote in the coming months by Iraq’s parliament calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops, underscoring the jostling for power between Iran and the U.S. in this key Middle Eastern country.

“I think more than half the members of parliament reject the presence of American military forces as a matter of principle. If the United States wants to impose its presence by force, and to bypass the Iraqi constitution and parliament, Iraq can treat it the same way and drive it out by force… But the first phase is political.” — Qais al-Khazali, the leader of the militant Shiite group Asaib Ahl al-Haq
Qais al-Khazali, who rose to prominence as a leader in the Shiite insurgency after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, said there’s no longer a justification for thousands of U.S. troops to remain in Iraq now that the Islamic State group has been defeated. He suggested U.S. troops may eventually be driven out by force if they do not yield to the will of the Iraqi people.
“I think more than half the members of parliament reject the presence of American military forces as a matter of principle,” he said. “If the United States wants to impose its presence by force, and to bypass the Iraqi constitution and parliament, Iraq can treat it the same way and drive it out by force… But the first phase is political,” al-Khazali said.
The 45-year-old head of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, or League of the Righteous, spoke with The Associated Press in a wide-ranging interview at one of his group’s offices in a highly-fortified area in the Iraqi capital, just across the Tigris River from the U.S. Embassy.
Curbing foreign influence has become a hot-button issue in Iraq after parliament elections in May in which Shiite militias backed by Iran made significant gains. The militias fought alongside U.S.-backed Iraqi troops against IS in recent years, gaining outsized influence and power along the way.

Speaking out Against the Continued Presence of U.S. Forces

Now, after defeating IS militants in their last urban bastions, Iraqi politicians and militia leaders are increasingly speaking out against the continued presence of U.S. forces on Iraqi soil.
American forces withdrew from Iraq in 2011, but returned in 2014 at the invitation of the government to help battle IS after it seized vast areas in the north and west of the country, including Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul. A U.S.-led coalition provided crucial air support as Iraqi forces regrouped and drove IS out in a costly three-year campaign.
Iraqi politicians were angered when U.S. President Donald Trump visited American forces at a base in western Iraq without meeting with any Iraqi officials, a snub that added to calls for U.S. troops to withdraw.
Trump has said he has no plans to withdraw the 5,200 troops in the country and that Iraq could be used for U.S. airstrikes inside Syria after the U.S. withdraws its troops from that country.
Al-Khazali, whose forces are fighting in Syria alongside President Bashar Assad’s troops, said he was “certain and confident” there will be an Iraqi parliament vote calling for the withdrawal and regulation of U.S. forces in the country.
“If the main purpose for their presence is to confront the military danger posed by Daesh, then this threat is eliminated,” he said, referring to IS. “So what is the justification for keeping this number (of troops) now?”
He said a small contingent of advisers and trainers for logistical matters could stay on as determined by a joint committee that would specify their numbers and locations.

Increasingly Frequent Israeli Airstrikes Targeting Syria

“Anything other than that will be considered an infringement on sovereignty by the Iraqi parliament, the Iraqi people and political factions, including ours, and we will not allow it,” he said.

“Anything other than that will be considered an infringement on sovereignty by the Iraqi parliament, the Iraqi people and political factions, including ours, and we will not allow it.” Qais al-Khazali, the leader of the militant Shiite group Asaib Ahl al-Haq
Al-Khazali was jailed by British and U.S. forces from 2007 to 2010 for his role in the Shiite insurgency. His group has fought in major battles against IS in northern Iraq and in neighboring Syria’s civil war.
Al-Khazali ruffled feathers in late 2017 when he showed up at the Lebanon-Israel border along with members of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group, expressing support for the Lebanese and Palestinians against the Jewish state. His visit sparked harsh criticism from Lebanon’s prime minister at the time, who ordered him banned from entering the country.
Asaib Ahl al-Haq, which owns its own TV station, made significant gains in last year’s parliament elections, and al-Khazali is now represented by a 15-member bloc in parliament.
When asked about the increasingly frequent Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian interests in Syria, al-Khazali said the two powers appear to be headed for a confrontation which could turn into a regional war. He said Iraq would only be drawn in if directly attacked by Israel.
“If the Israeli entity strikes targets inside Iraq, no matter what the pretext is, then Iraq as a sovereign state will defend itself and our response to the Israeli attack will be unlimited,” he said.
Al-Khazali also said if Israel were to attack Lebanon and Syria, and “in case they need our help,” then “personally, I will be the first to participate.”

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

House Republicans Say They Expect to Vote Tonight on Trump’s Tax-Cut Bill

DON'T MISS

San Luis Obispo’s Madre Fire Grows to 8,300 Acres, Prompts Evacuations

DON'T MISS

SLO Deputies Fatally Shoot Man in Los Osos Weeks After US Marshal Impersonation Arrest

DON'T MISS

Madera County Deputy Injured, Wanted Felon Arrested After Violent Struggle

DON'T MISS

San Luis Obispo County Wildfire Burns More Than 3,000 Acres. No Containment Yet

DON'T MISS

Wired Wednesday: Why Is State Lawmaker Taking Aim at Rooftop Solar?

DON'T MISS

Two Visalia Men Sentenced in 2021 Motel Killing

DON'T MISS

Ex-Jan. 6 Defendant Gets Life in Prison for Plot to Kill FBI Agents

DON'T MISS

Del Monte Files for Bankruptcy. Gets Nearly $1B to Keep Producing Through Process

DON'T MISS

Who is Running for Fresno Area Offices in 2026? An Updated Look

UP NEXT

From Victims to Perpetrators: Israeli Soldiers’ Nazi Comparisons and the Unfolding War Crimes in Gaza

UP NEXT

Iran Enacts Law Suspending Cooperation With UN Nuclear Watchdog

UP NEXT

Ukraine Voices Concern as US Halts Some Missile Shipments

UP NEXT

Poll: Most Americans Say National Divide, Political Violence Threaten Democracy

UP NEXT

Dalai Lama Says He Will Be Reincarnated, Trust Will Identify Successor

UP NEXT

Hamas Says It Is Studying Ceasefire Proposal Labeled ‘Final’ by Trump

UP NEXT

Trump Pulls Back 150 Guard Troops From Federal Duties in California

UP NEXT

Trump Says Israel Has Agreed to Conditions to Finalize 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire

UP NEXT

Iran Made Preparations to Mine the Strait of Hormuz, US Sources Say

UP NEXT

Trump Says US Could Reach Trade Deal With India, Casts Doubt on Deal With Japan

Madera County Deputy Injured, Wanted Felon Arrested After Violent Struggle

3 hours ago

San Luis Obispo County Wildfire Burns More Than 3,000 Acres. No Containment Yet

3 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: Why Is State Lawmaker Taking Aim at Rooftop Solar?

3 hours ago

Two Visalia Men Sentenced in 2021 Motel Killing

4 hours ago

Ex-Jan. 6 Defendant Gets Life in Prison for Plot to Kill FBI Agents

4 hours ago

Del Monte Files for Bankruptcy. Gets Nearly $1B to Keep Producing Through Process

5 hours ago

Who is Running for Fresno Area Offices in 2026? An Updated Look

5 hours ago

CIA Review Finds Flaws but Does Not Dispute Finding Putin Sought to Sway 2016 Vote to Trump

5 hours ago

Poorest Americans Dealt Biggest Blow Under Senate Republican Tax Package

5 hours ago

Check Out Newest Downtown Mural. It’s a Spectacular Tribute to Fresno Artisans

6 hours ago

House Republicans Say They Expect to Vote Tonight on Trump’s Tax-Cut Bill

WASHINGTON – Republicans in the House of Representatives on Wednesday struggled to pass President Donald Trump’s massive tax-cut...

2 hours ago

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks to the press, as Republican lawmakers struggle to pass U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping spending and tax bill, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 2, 2025. (Reuters/Annabelle Gordon)
2 hours ago

House Republicans Say They Expect to Vote Tonight on Trump’s Tax-Cut Bill

The Madre Fire in San Luis Obispo County has rapidly expanded to 8,396 acres with no containment, prompting evacuation orders and warnings near New Cuyama. (CalFire)
2 hours ago

San Luis Obispo’s Madre Fire Grows to 8,300 Acres, Prompts Evacuations

Andrew Biscay, 40, was arrested Friday, June 20, 2025, after deputies found him with a fake U.S. Marshal’s badge, homemade firearm, and law enforcement-style gear during a warrant arrest. (Madera County SO)
2 hours ago

SLO Deputies Fatally Shoot Man in Los Osos Weeks After US Marshal Impersonation Arrest

On Tuesday, July 1, 2025, a Madera County sheriff’s deputy was injured while trying to arrest a wanted felon, Felix Adrian Nucamendi Carrasco, 40, who later fled and was captured near Raymond Road. (Madera County SO)
3 hours ago

Madera County Deputy Injured, Wanted Felon Arrested After Violent Struggle

A wildfire dubbed the Madre Fire has burned over 3,300 acres near New Cuyama with 0% containment, officials said Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (CalFire)
3 hours ago

San Luis Obispo County Wildfire Burns More Than 3,000 Acres. No Containment Yet

3 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: Why Is State Lawmaker Taking Aim at Rooftop Solar?

Jose Luna (left), 33, and Ralph Grajeda, 45, both of Visalia, have been sentenced for their roles in the 2020 shotgun killing of Robert Soto at a local motel. (Tulare County DA)
4 hours ago

Two Visalia Men Sentenced in 2021 Motel Killing

A U.S. Justice Department logo or seal showing Justice Department headquarters, known as "Main Justice," is seen behind the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room before a news conference with the Attorney General in Washington, January 24, 2023. (Reuters File)
4 hours ago

Ex-Jan. 6 Defendant Gets Life in Prison for Plot to Kill FBI Agents

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend