Iraq
Angry Iraqi Shiite militia supporters burn property in front of the U.S. embassy compound, in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019. Photo: Khalid Mohammed/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region- Several US officials and members of congress have issued statements calling on the Iraqi government to do more to protect the US Embassy after it was stormed by supporters of Iranian-backed militias on Tuesday.
The storming of the embassy was led by members and supporters of Kataib Hezbollah, a Shiite paramilitary force counted amongst Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), also known as Hashd al-Shaabi in Arabic. Video footage showed walls and buildings of the heavily fortified compound set ablaze.
The group sustained heavy casualties in US retaliatory airstrikes following a Friday attack on Kirkuk’s K1 military base which killed one US civilian contractor and wounded several US and Iraqi troops.
In response, many members and supporters of the Iranian-backed group marched on the embassy after attending a funeral for their fallen comrades in the morning.
President Trump tweeted about the K1 missile attack on Friday.
Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo echoed the expectation that Iraqi forces be deployed to protect the US Embassy.
"I spoke with Prime Minister Mahdi and President Salih to reiterate their obligation to protect our US personnel and property," he tweeted.
The US sent Apache helicopters to the scene and re-deployed 100 marines from Kuwait to reinforce security at the compound.
According to US State Department officials, Iraqi leaders assured Pompeo of their dedication to the security of personnel in the country.
"Both Abdul-Mahdi and Salih assured the Secretary that they took seriously the responsibility for and would guarantee the safety and security of US personnel and property," US Department of State spokesperson Morgan Ortagus was quoted in a press readout as saying.
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper also adhered to the same message.
"As in all countries, we rely on host nation forces to assist in the protection of our personnel in country, & we call on the Gov't of Iraq to fulfill its international responsibilities to do so. The US continues to support the Iraqi people & a free, sovereign, & prosperous Iraq," he tweeted.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi seemed to acknowledge the US position, condemning the deadly airstrikes against Kataib Hezbollah on the grounds that the PMF forces are technically a part of Iraq's sovereign military.
He added that those attacking foreign missions will face “the full force of the law.”
PM @AdilAbdAlMahdi: Iraqi security forces will respond to any act of aggression or harassment against foreign embassies in Iraq, and those responsible will face the full force of the law.
— Government of Iraq - الحكومة العراقية (@IraqiGovt) December 31, 2019
US senators' responses to the embassy crisis tended to split along party lines, with Republicans praising Trump and blasting the Iranian government for perpetrating the attack while Democrats took the opportunity to criticize the president's foreign policy towards Iraq and Iran.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham delivered an outright threat to Iran on Twitter, telling Tehran to "be careful what you wish for" and "choose your battles wisely".
Conversely, Democratic Senator Jack Reed, in his capacity as ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued an official statement about the embassy attack on his website which criticized the President's decision to conduct airstrikes against the wishes of the Iraqi government, as well as his unilateral withdrawal in 2015 from nuclear accords signed between Iran and most of the world's major powers.
"President Trump's disjointed, chaotic, ad hoc approach to foreign policy and failure to closely coordinate with our allies comes at a real cost...The Trump Administration appears to be losing political leverage in Iraq which could complicate our continued military presence there – presence which is key to our counterterrorism efforts in Iraq, Syria, and the broader region," the statement read.
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