Movements of the US ambassador in Baghdad: rival Iran and attempts to contain the repercussions of the demonstrations

by **claud39** on Sat Nov 23, 2019 8:31 am

[rtl]Movements of the US ambassador in Baghdad: rival Iran and attempts to contain the repercussions of the demonstrations[/rtl]

22 November 2019

Movements of the US ambassador in Baghdad: rival Iran and attempts to contain the repercussions of the demonstrations 368

The US ambassador to Baghdad, Matthew Toller, has concluded what could be considered an “ extraordinary week ” because of his movements and at least his public meetings with Iraqi officials , most notably Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi , Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, and President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Faiq Zeidan.

This movement was notable for the attention of observers and politicians, who said that it comes after a period of lukewarm embassy since Abdul Mahdi took over the prime minister and following the agreement in which he considered that the commander of the "Quds Force" in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Qassem Soleimani, surpassed the US envoy to Iraq at the time Brett McGurk, October 2018, which also led considerable pressure in government formation consultations, where the three Iraqi presidencies, the Republic, the government, and the parliament, ended up with figures not far from Iran .

According to political sources, one of whom is a member of the Iraqi parliament, the various political parties are monitoring the movements of Ambassador Tuler, who has a clear impact in Yemen during his work there as an ambassador to Washington, and finally coming to Iraq.

A deputy, who is a leader in the "victory" coalition headed by former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, said that the recent activity of the US embassy may be consistent with the Iranian move to support the government of Abdul-Mahdi , or because there is an American direction for Iraq, saying that "the presence of Qasim Soleimani in Baghdad And his recent moves make everyone to refuse to move the parties or silence. "

He pointed out that "the US move seems clearer, meetings are announced, unlike the Iranian, which is certainly stronger and have a faster effect on the Iraqi scene ."

An Iraqi politician explained that the US ambassador's current moves "tend to stop repression and restrict press freedoms," saying that "the Americans do not want the current Iraqi political process a complete failure or change, they are the basic building blocks, and all their current and future moves are to bring them back to the circle of influence."

To that, the leader of the Iraqi Salvation Front, Atheel al-Nujaifi, to the "new Arab", that "the United States has strategic interests in the region as a whole, and therefore it is monitoring what is happening, and calculated the consequences of things from the beginning," noting that "the American movement came After sensing the danger of the consequences of things, and therefore must have a role before a disaster that harms its interests, and also harms the interests of Iraq . "

Nujaifi pointed out that "the US move is normal for a country such as the United States, especially with the existence of the strategic agreement between Baghdad and Washington, which relates to security, and this must remain this contact and communication."

He added that "the American movement will have an impact on the street, as it will affect the parties and political blocs close to Tehran. America controls the joints of the global economy, and so it can influence any political force that it finds contrary to its strategic policy."

Haider al-Mulla, a leader of the Alliance of Iraqi Forces led by Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, told Al-Arabi al-Jadeed that with the start of the protests in Iraq in early October, the US position was "timid."

Mullah said that the "surprise of the United States from the popular movement that happened is the reason for the silence of the first days of demonstrations," and explained that "after the Iraqi demonstrations took legitimacy after the recognition of the international community, the United Nations and the European Union, as well as presidencies in Iraq and political forces, and reference Najaf "America is moving to try to save face, to find a way out."

"The American moves are an attempt to involve themselves in this movement in order to convey a message that they are keen on democracy and are keen on freedom of opinion in Iraq and the region. That is why Ambassador Toller started shuttling in Baghdad."

He warned that "the entry of any external factor from any party on the line of demonstrations will weaken these demonstrations, these demonstrations began with an internal will not be politicized or calculated for a political party, and therefore the entry of any political party or external factor will weaken them."

On the other hand, the head of the Center for Political Thinking, Ihsan al-Shammari, told the "new Arab", that "the American movement is no different from the Iranian movement with the parties (Shiite, Sunni, Kurdish), but Washington is now engaged formally and clearly to resolve the current crisis, it is aware that There is a duty to go to find solutions. "

And that America believes that "the arrangement of the next situation should not be outside the framework of US strategy, it does not want Iran to be dominated inside Iraq, and therefore began the movements of the US ambassador."

Shammari added that "the issue of the popular uprising, as well as the resignation of Adel Abdul Mahdi, and the holding of early elections, prompted the American movement so that Washington has room in the upcoming arrangements."

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