Wall Street Journal Reports Iraqi PM Favors Indefinite U.S. Troop Presence

(Reuters) – Iraqi Prime Minster Mohammed al-Sudani defended U.S. troops present in his country, and set no timeline for their withdrawal, in an interview to the Wall Street Journal published Sunday.

Sudani spoke of the U.S. troop contingents and NATO troops that assist Iraqi forces in fighting Islamic State. However, they largely avoid combat. “Elimination of ISIS needs some more time,” He said this in an interview.

Sudani, who assumed office last October, stated to the Wall Street Journal that his plans were to send a high level delegation to Washington next month for talks with U.S. officials. He added that Iraq would prefer similar relations with Washington as those enjoyed by Saudi Arabia, other Persian Gulf oil and natural gas producers, and that Washington is open to all.

“I don’t see this as an impossible matter, to see Iraq have a good relationship with Iran and the U.S.,” Sudani said the following:

(Reporting by Jahnavi Ndumolu in Bengaluru; Editing and editing by Susan Fenton