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Iraq's parliament voted on a resolution to expel U.S. forces from the country (NINA) |
Iran’s plan in Iraq was to re-focus the political class and the media narrative on a topic of its choosing rather than the protests, which were not only demanding better governance but an end to Iranian influence. Tehran is largely succeeding in its strategy.
Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force commander General
Qasim Suleimani reportedly
met with his allies in Iraq and laid out Tehran’s strategy. The plan was
for pro-Iran Hashd groups to increase attacks upon U.S. interests to provoke a
response from Washington. That would then divert attention away from the
demonstrations that led to a political crisis in Baghdad with the resignation
of Prime Minister Adl Abdul Mahdi. Iran wanted the country’s ruling class to
focus upon something they could agree upon and that would benefit Tehran,
namely the withdrawal of U.S. forces. That has largely gone as planned.
After the U.S. killed General Suleimani and the deputy head
of the Hashd Commission Abu Muhandis Iraq’s parliament started discussing
expelling the Americans rather than the protests or picking a new premier.
Resigned Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi called on
lawmakers to hold a special session to discuss the U.S. He went on to say
that the Americans had violated the conditions of their agreement to help Iraq
in the war against the Islamic State. Badr’s Hadi Amiri, the Dawa Party, and
Moqtada al-Sadr’s Sairoon all talked about Iraq’s sovereignty and having to
deal with the U.S. presence. That resulted in a non-binding
resolution passed on January 5 calling for a U.S. withdrawal. This is
exactly what Tehran wanted. It has derailed Iraqi politics by making it focus
upon a topic of its choosing rather than its pressing internal issues.
SOURCES
Hjelmgaard, Kim, “Iraq votes to expel U.S. troops after Iran
Ge. Qasem Soleimani’s killing,” USA Today, 1/5/20
NINA, “The House of
Representatives: Postponing the nomination of the PM until the vote on the
decision to oust the foreign forces,” 1/4/20
Rwanduzy, Mohammed,
“Major Iraqi Shiite parties call for unity to expel US troops,” Rudaw, 1/3/20
Sotaliraq, “How
Qassim Soleimani planned to attack American forces in Iraq,” 1/4/20
2 comments:
Wishful thinking.....they paid a pretty high price to get this result...If it gets our Troops out of Iraq completely then Im for it though!!
Plan was announced before Suleimani's death and is going forward successfully without him.
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