According to Iraqi media, Al-Halawi referred to the proposed options for preserving the sovereignty of Iraq, saying that the American occupying forces must leave Iraq sooner or later.
All options are being analyzed by the parliament to support the Iraqi government in expelling foreign forces from the country completely.
He noted that the presence of foreign forces in Iraq threatens its security and stability, and violates Iraq's national sovereignty.
Earlier on February 24, Iraq’s National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji said that there is a consensus among political factions that foreign forces should leave the Arab country.
“There is a consensus on the withdrawal of foreign forces. And, the Iraqi government will sign bilateral security agreements with the countries that are part of the international coalition against the Daesh terror group, in response to their assistance”, he said.
The international coalition, led by the United States, was formed in September 2014 to defeat Daesh. Currently, there are about 2,500 US troops still present in Iraq as part of that coalition.
However, calls have been getting louder for the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq ever since the US military assassinated top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone attack near Baghdad in January 2020. At the time, the Iraqi parliament voted for the American forces’ pullout of the country.
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