US military mobilization in Iraq questionable: Experts

By Haydar Karaalp and Bekir Aydogan

BAGHDAD (AA) – Iraq denied Tuesday that a mobilization of US forces within its borders has anything to do with the country itself, saying it is solely about Syria.

Khaled al-Yaqoubi, the security adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, spoke exclusively with Anadolu about the stepped up presence of American troops in Iraq in recent days and claims that these soldiers will be redeployed in Iraq.

Al-Yaqoubi said allegations of US military shipments to Iraq are also “unfounded.”

“We are only hearing about the mobilization of US troops and the news that they will be deployed in Iraq again from some press outlets, but official sources do not confirm this," he said.

He noted that the mobilization is related to the military changes the US will make on the Syrian side.

The issue of the presence of American military units in Iraq was not raised in negotiations during the visit of Iraqi Defense Minister Thabit al-Abbasi to the US on Aug. 7, he said.

"The security negotiations between Iraq and the US have been successfully concluded,” Al-Yaqoubi pointed out, adding there will be no situations that compromise his country’s sovereignty and that the US-led coalition forces will be able to fight Daesh/ISIS in Iraq.

While it is claimed that Washington is shipping military vehicles to various parts of Iraq, some unconfirmed images of this have also been published on social media.

-Expanding sovereignty in Syria

Iraqi military experts also spoke with Anadolu about the US military mobilization in the country in recent days, which has stirred controversy.

One of them, Muayyed Ciheishi, stressed that Iraq does not need foreign troops at this stage as the number of Daesh/ISIS terrorists is small and they do not have the ability to organize attacks.

Only Iraqi security forces need training to be able to use advanced weapons, Ciheishi said.

Arguing that the US military mobilization in Iraq is a show of force, he said: “The US wants to prevent Iran from sending weapons, explosives and military reinforcements to Syria via Iraq.”

“The US aims to cut the connection between Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon,” he asserted.

“That is why they are conducting an operation in eastern Syria. The US insists that the Albu Kamal border crossing and that line are completely under its control," he said.

Ciheishi added that the White House wants to expand its sovereignty in eastern Syria.

-Neither routine procedure nor show of force

Another Iraqi military expert, Mohammad Sabir, also spoke about the US military activity in recent days along an anti-Iranian line.

"Militia groups affiliated with Iran were keeping the Albu Kemal line under control to send weapons and military supplies between Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

“The US has now cut off that line. This is a very important and strategic point,” he said.

Sabir said this situation would mean cutting off Iran's ties with its allies in Syria and Lebanon, noting that "Iran cannot reach the Mediterranean in this way either.”

“At the same time, the US has also cut off the Shiite Crescent that Iran has established in the region,” he added.

"The military activity of the US is not ordinary. It is a harbinger of a major war,” he warned.

“This mobilization of the US is similar to that of 1991 and 2003,” he said, noting that the country landed troops with two large warplanes.

“This cannot be seen as a routine procedure, nor is it a show of force. If there is no war aim, this military mobilization will not happen.”

US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romansky, in a meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, said they want to continue cooperation based on common interests with Iraq, stressing that the US military mobilization in Iraq is not related to Iraq.

*Writing by Merve Berker