Top Iraqi Cleric and Politician Al-Hakim: Political Groups in Iraq Seek US Troops’ Withdrawal

Top Iraqi Cleric and Politician Al-Hakim underlined that all political groups in his country are in consensus over the necessity for the withdrawal of the US troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.
“All political forces in Iraq share the view that the US forces should leave the country by the end of current Christian year (2011) based on the (Washington-Baghdad) security deal,” Head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq Ammar al-Hakim told reporters after meeting with a number of top clerics and leaders in Iran’s holy city of Qom on Friday evening.

“Right now, the government (in Baghdad) is seeking to train the Iraqi military forces, nevertheless no (foreign) combat force should remain in Iraq,” Hakim added.

Hakim had also stated a similar view in his earlier meetings with the senior religious authorities in Qom on Friday.

The Iraqi politician’s emphasis on the US withdrawal came as earlier media reports said that the US has pressed senior Iraqi officials to revise their decision on the US pullout and demand Washington to keep its troops in the country beyond their scheduled departure in the yearend.

Iraqi state officials as well as religious and political figures have all condemned the US intention and attempts to extend the mission of its troops in the country.

Late in April, Maliki announced that Iraq no more needs the US forces to protect its internal security, and underlined that his government will not bow to the pressures exerted on Baghdad to accept an extended US military mission in the country.

“The Iraqi government and parliament will not heed foreign pressures when making their decision on this issue and they will do what is to the interests of the Iraqi nation,” Maliki said during a press conference in Baghdad at the time.