ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – US Vice President Mike Pence made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Saturday, meeting with President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani in Erbil after visiting US troops at a military base in Anbar – without meeting any Iraqi officials in person.
In his first visit to both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region as vice president, Pence landed at the Ain al-Assad military base in Anbar province in Iraq on Saturday.
Pence’s visit to the base aimed to be a show of reassure the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and to check in on US troops. He did not meet with any Iraqi officials during his visit to the base.
The vice president’s visit to Iraq mirrors that of US President Donald Trump almost a year ago. Trump had also visited Ain al-Assad without meeting Iraqi officials. The move provoked outrage among some Iraqi politicians, who viewed it as being disrespectful of Iraqi sovereignty and government.
Former Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi criticized Pence’s decision to visit Kurdish officials Erbil without visiting federal officials in Baghdad.
“Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, not Erbil,” read a Facebook post by Abadi on Saturday.
However, Pence did hold a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi to discuss counter-ISIS strategy and developments, as well as the need to address the demands being made in current anti-government protests.
“US Vice President, Mike Pence, in an agreed visit to Iraq, checked on the US troops who are fighting ISIS in Iraq as part of the Global Coalition to defeat ISIS,” Iraq’s prime ministerial office said in a statement on Saturday.
“Pence confirmed the importance of meeting the demands of the protesters in Iraq, as well as the efforts of the Iraqi government to make real reforms to satisfy the protesters,” the statement added.
Pence spoke to reporters about the visit later on Saturday.
“We have a strong partnership with the Iraqi people. We liberated Iraq from dictatorship with our allies. With our allies again we liberated Iraq from the clutches of ISIS. The US is prepared to partner with them further to ensure that their governments and meeting the needs of their people is achieved... for long term security and prosperity.”
Pence said he encouraged Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi to listen to those who are protesting and their calls for reforms.
“With regard to our conversations with Prime Minister Abdul-Mahdi, we spoke about the unrest that has been taking place in recent weeks here in Iraq,” Pence said. “He assured me that they were working to avoid violence or the kind of repression that we see are taking place.”
Abdul-Mahdi “pledged” to “respect and protect peaceful protesters” and adhere to democratic processes and principles in Iraq, the vice president added.
Protesters first took to the streets of southern and central Iraq on October 1 to demand action on corruption, high unemployment, and the lack of public services. Following a pause during the Shiite religious observance of Arbaeen, the protests resumed on October 25. At least 320 protesters and members of the security forces have been killed since October 1, with around 15,000 wounded.
Pence later travelled to Erbil, where he was received by President Nechirvan Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, among other senior politicians.
His visit to the Kurdistan Region was to “reassure” the US ally in the fight against ISIS.
“President Barzani today as well as PM Barzani here as well as the rest of officials say that they are greatly encouraged by President Trump’s decision to maintain troops in Syria to secure the oilfields so that they do not fall to the hands of ISIS or Iran or the Syrian regime,” Pence said.
In both visits, Pence said he had reiterated the “US’s commitment to an independent and sovereign Iraq,” and its concern over the “malign influence of Iran across Iraq.”
President Barzani hailed the "timely visit" of US Vice President Mike Pence to the Region as one of "strong friendship and strategic partnership" via Twitter on Saturday evening. He expressed gratitude for "US support during challenging times."
VP Pence's post-visit tweet on Saturday appeared to make reference to Kurds beyond the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.The meeting was a reinforcement of the "strong bonds" forged during the fight against ISIS, he said.
It was an honor to meet with President Barzani in Erbil on behalf of @realDonaldTrump today to reiterate the strong bonds forged in the fires of war between the United States and Kurdish people across this region. pic.twitter.com/ctHNBIdxlD
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) November 23, 2019
